Vehicle, communication system for vehicle, and communication controlling method for vehicle

• US 8,611,824 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2009
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Fayyaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hanidu, Ganiyu A
• Application Number:
  US13/519,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20120295547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,450 Days
• Field of Search: 455/66.1, 455/552.1, 455/417, 455/400, 455/569.1, 455/426, 455/422, 455/402, 455/426.1, 320/109, 320/128, 320/137, 320/104, 320/133, 320/116, 320/108, 320/115
• US Class Current: 455/66.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/42 with use of more than one motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/147 electro magnetic [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/72 Constructional details of fuel cells specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00024 by means of mobile telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/546 Combination of signalling, telemetering, protection circuits for remote indication of supply or distribution network condition H02J13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 : in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 : Remote or cooperative charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 : using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 : using wireless data transmission

Abstract

A vehicle includes a wireless communication device, a PLC processing device, and a communication control device. The wireless communication device wirelessly communicates with a wireless communication device external to the vehicle. The PLC processing device communicates with a PLC processing device external to the vehicle by utilizing, as a communication path, a charging cable and a charging port to which the charging cable is connected. The communication control device controls communication by the wireless communication device and communication by the PLC processing device, depending on the remaining amount of data to be transmitted.

Claims

1. A vehicle supplied with electric power from an external power supply, comprising:

a first communication device for wirelessly communicating with a wireless communication device external to said vehicle;

a second communication device for communicating with a communication device external to said vehicle by utilizing, as a communication path, a charging cable for supplying electric power from said power supply to said vehicle and a charging port provided at said vehicle for connection of said charging cable thereto; and

a control device for controlling communication by said first communication device and communication by said second communication device, depending on a remaining amount of data to be transmitted, wherein

said control device

makes a switch from communication by said first communication device to communication by said second communication device when said remaining amount of data to be transmitted is larger than a predetermined amount when said charging cable is connected to said charging port while in communication by said first communication device, and

continues communication by said first communication device when said remaining amount of data to be transmitted is smaller than said predetermined amount when said charging cable is connected to said charging port while in communication by said first communication device.

2. A communication system for a vehicle supplied with electric power from an external power supply, comprising:

a first communication device for wirelessly communicating with a wireless communication device external to said vehicle;

a second communication device for communicating with a communication device external to said vehicle by utilizing, as a communication path, a charging cable for supplying electric power from said power supply to said vehicle and a charging port provided at said vehicle for connection of said charging cable thereto; and

a control device for controlling communication by said first communication device and communication by said second communication device, depending on a remaining amount of data to be transmitted, wherein

said control device

makes a switch from communication by said first communication device to communication by said second communication device when said remaining amount of data to be transmitted is larger than a predetermined amount when said charging cable is connected to said charging port while in communication by said first communication device, and

continues communication by said first communication device when said remaining amount of data to be transmitted is smaller than said predetermined amount when said charging cable is connected to said charging port while in communication by said first communication device.

3. A communication controlling method for a vehicle equipped with a first communication device for wirelessly communicating with an external wireless communication device and a second communication device for communicating with an external communication device by utilizing, as a communication path, a charging cable for supplying electric power from an external power source and a charging port provided for connection of said charging cable thereto, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a remaining amount of data to be transmitted; and

controlling communication by said first communication device and communication by said second communication device, depending on said remaining amount of data to be transmitted, wherein;

controlling communication by said first communication device and communication by said second communication device includes;

making a switch from communication by said first communication device to communication by said second communication device when said remaining amount of data to be transmitted is larger than a predetermined amount when said charging cable is connected to said charging port while in communication by said first communication device; and

continuing communication by said first communication device when said remaining amount of data to be transmitted is smaller than said predetermined amount when said charging cable is connected to said charging port while in communication by said first communication device.