Electric vehicle clustered charge distribution and prioritization method, system and apparatus

• US 8,731,730 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2011
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EverCharge Inc. (SK Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EV Patent Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Watkins, Timothy M., Landau-Holdsworth, Mario, Case, Amber
• Primary Examiner(s): Gami, Tejal
• Assistant Examiner(s): Karim, Ziaul
• Application Number:
  US13/111,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20120277927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 700/292, 320/107, 320/109
• US Class Current: 700/292
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/58 Departure time prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/34 Plug-like or socket-like devices specially adapted for contactless inductive charging of electric vehicles positioning means for charging devices using inductive energy transfer B60L53/38
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/005 dispensed for the electrical charging of vehicles electrical charging as such, B60L50/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• 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

A method, system, and apparatus include a clustered charge distribution and prioritized charge distribution system for electric vehicles (EVs). Distributed processing units (DPUs) receive member information about an EV or EV user. A power distribution manager (PDM) is coupled to each of the DPUs. The PDM includes a prioritizer. The prioritizer determines a prioritization for charging the EVs based on the member information received by each of the DPUs. A method includes providing clustered charge distribution and charge prioritization for electric vehicles. The method includes sensing whether power is requested by any one of a plurality of EVs within a cluster, generating individual EV-specific information for the EVs using the DPUs, transmitting the EV-specific information to the PDM, and selecting and applying a prioritization algorithm based at least in part on the transmitted information.

Claims

1. A method for providing clustered charge distribution and charge prioritization for electric vehicles, the method comprising:

receiving member information about electric vehicles at a plurality of distributed processing units;

each distributed processing unit generating a message based on the member information received for each electric vehicle;

collecting, using a power distribution manager, the message from each of the distributed processing units;

performing, using the power distribution manager, a preliminary screening of the electric vehicles based on the messages;

selecting, using the power distribution manager, a prioritization algorithm based on the messages;

selectively activating a subset of the distributed processing units based at least on the preliminary screening and the prioritization algorithm;

wherein performing the preliminary screening includes;

parsing each message to determine whether users of the electric vehicles are paid-up or delinquent members; and

parsing each message to determine whether users of the electric vehicles are peak-rate preference members or off-peak rate preference members;

when it is determined that a user of the electric vehicle is a delinquent member, excluding charging service to said user;

when it is determined that a user of the electric vehicle is an off-peak rate preference member, excluding charging service to said user during peak-rate times;

when it is determined that a user of the electric vehicle is a peak rate preference member, not excluding charging service to said user during peak-rate times;

of the remaining users not yet excluded from charging service, parsing the associated remaining messages to determine whether users of the electric vehicles are VIPs or not;

for the users of the electric vehicles determined not to be VIPs, adding power requests for said non-VIPs to a queue;

for the users of the electric vehicles determined to be VIPs, checking whether power requests from the VIPs are within a location power line limit;

when it is determined that the requests from the VIPs are within the location power line limit, activating the distributed processing units associated with the electric vehicles of the VIPs so that said electric vehicles for the VIPs are charged; and

when it is determined that the requests from the VIPs are not within the location power line limit, adding at least some power requests from said VIPs to the queue.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting, using the power distribution manager, a prioritization algorithm;

applying the prioritization algorithm to the power requests on the queue;

selecting a portion of the power requests from the queue based on the applied prioritization algorithm;

determining whether the portion of the power requests is within the location power line limit; and

when the portion of the power requests is within the location power line limit, activating the distributed processing units associated with said portion of power requests.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein applying the prioritization algorithm includes at least one of:

prioritizing based on a priority requested by a user;

prioritizing based on a percentage of kWHr delivered so far to a particular electric vehicle;

prioritizing based on time elapsed since a particular electric vehicle began to receive a charge;

prioritizing based on a first come first served order in which a particular electric vehicle is given a higher priority based on its start or arrival time; and

prioritizing based on whether a particular electric vehicle is approaching the end of its charge.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting, using the power distribution manager, a prioritization algorithm; and

applying the prioritization algorithm to the power requests on the queue.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein applying the prioritization algorithm includes at least one of:

prioritizing based on a priority requested by a user;

prioritizing based on a percentage of kWHr delivered so far to a particular electric vehicle;

prioritizing based on time elapsed since a particular electric vehicle began to receive a charge;

prioritizing based on a first come first served order in which a particular electric vehicle is given a higher priority based on its start or arrival time; and

prioritizing based on whether a particular electric vehicle is approaching the end of its charge.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein applying the prioritization algorithm includes all of:

prioritizing based on a priority requested by a user;

prioritizing based on a percentage of kWHr delivered so far to a particular electric vehicle;

prioritizing based on time elapsed since a particular electric vehicle began to receive a charge;

prioritizing based on a first come first served order in which a particular electric vehicle is given a higher priority based on its start or arrival time; and

prioritizing based on whether a particular electric vehicle is approaching the end of its charge.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

checking whether the power requests from the VIPs are within the location power line limit includes checking whether the power requests from the VIPs are within a buffered power line limit, wherein the buffered power line limit includes a safety margin built therein;

in response to determining that the power requests from the VIPs are within the buffered power line limit, activating the distributed processing units associated with the electric vehicles of the VIPs so that said electric vehicles for the VIPs are charged.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein parsing the associated remaining messages to determine whether users of the electric vehicles are VIPs or not further comprises:

dividing users of the electric vehicles into a VIP group and a non-VIP group;

for the users of the electric vehicles determined to be part of the non-VIP group, adding power requests for said non-VIPs to the queue; and

for the users of the electric vehicles determined to be part of the VIP group, checking whether power requests from the VIPs are within the location power line limit.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectively activated subset of the distributed processing units includes two or more distributed processing units.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively activating further comprises:

receiving an activation signal, by the subset of the distributed processing units, from the power distribution manager;

closing, by each of the distributed processing units within the subset, a corresponding electrical contactor switch from among a plurality of electrical contactor switches; and

causing electricity to flow from an external source to a corresponding separate vehicle charger unit from among a plurality of separate vehicle charger units, and from the corresponding separate vehicle charger unit to a corresponding electric vehicle.

11. A method for providing clustered charge distribution and charge prioritization for electric vehicles, the method comprising:

receiving member information about electric vehicles at a plurality of distributed processing units;

each distributed processing unit generating a message based on the member information received for each electric vehicle;

collecting, using a power distribution manager, the message from each of the distributed processing units;

performing, using the power distribution manager, a preliminary screening of the electric vehicles based on the messages;

selecting, using the power distribution manager, a prioritization algorithm based on the messages;

selectively activating a subset of the distributed processing units based at least on the preliminary screening and the prioritization algorithm;

wherein performing the preliminary screening includes;

parsing each message to determine whether users of the electric vehicles are paid-up or delinquent members; and

parsing each message to determine whether users of the electric vehicles are peak-rate preference members or off-peak rate preference members;

when it is determined that a user of the electric vehicle is a delinquent member, excluding charging service to said user;

when it is determined that a user of the electric vehicle is an off-peak rate preference member, excluding charging service to said user during peak-rate times;

when it is determined that a user of the electric vehicle is a peak rate preference member, not excluding charging service to said user during peak-rate times;

of the remaining users not yet excluded from charging service, parsing the associated remaining messages to determine whether users of the electric vehicles are VIPs or not;

for the users of the electric vehicles determined not to be VIPs, adding power requests for said non-VIPs to a queue;

for the users of the electric vehicles determined to be VIPs, checking whether power requests from the VIPs are within a location power line limit;

when it is determined that the requests from the VIPs are within the location power line limit, activating the distributed processing units associated with the electric vehicles of the VIPs so that said electric vehicles for the VIPs are charged;

when it is determined that the requests from the VIPs are not within the location power line limit, adding at least some power requests from said VIPs to the queue;

selecting, using the power distribution manager, a prioritization algorithm;

applying the prioritization algorithm to the power requests on the queue;

selecting a portion of the power requests from the queue based on the applied prioritization algorithm;

determining whether the portion of the power requests is within the location power line limit; and

when the portion of the power requests is within the location power line limit, activating the distributed processing units associated with said portion of power requests;

wherein applying the prioritization algorithm includes all of;

prioritizing based on a priority requested by a user;

prioritizing based on a percentage of kWHr delivered so far to a particular electric vehicle;

prioritizing based on time elapsed since a particular electric vehicle began to receive a charge;

prioritizing based on a first come first served order in which a particular electric vehicle is given a higher priority based on its start or arrival time; and

prioritizing based on whether a particular electric vehicle is approaching the end of its charge.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

checking whether the power requests from the VIPs are within the location power line limit includes checking whether the power requests from the VIPs are within a buffered power line limit, wherein the buffered power line limit includes a safety margin built therein;

in response to determining that the power requests from the VIPs are within the buffered power line limit, activating the distributed processing units associated with the electric vehicles of the VIPs so that said electric vehicles for the VIPs are charged.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein parsing the associated remaining messages to determine whether users of the electric vehicles are VIPs or not further comprises:

dividing users of the electric vehicles into a VIP group and a non-VIP group;

for the users of the electric vehicles determined to be part of the non-VIP group, adding power requests for said non-VIPs to the queue; and

for the users of the electric vehicles determined to be part of the VIP group, checking whether power requests from the VIPs are within the location power line limit.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the selectively activated subset of the distributed processing units includes two or more distributed processing units.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein selectively activating further comprises:

receiving an activation signal, by the subset of the distributed processing units, from the power distribution manager;

closing, by each of the distributed processing units within the subset, a corresponding electrical contactor switch from among a plurality of electrical contactor switches; and

causing electricity to flow from an external source to a corresponding separate vehicle charger unit from among a plurality of separate vehicle charger units, and from the corresponding separate vehicle charger unit to a corresponding electric vehicle.