Communication device, communication system, and vehicle

• US 8,772,961 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2010
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2010
• 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): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARRIES, DRU M
• Application Number:
  US13/582,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20130015700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/006 to power outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/527 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/529 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• 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 53/66 : Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• 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: H04L 25/028 : Arrangements specific to the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/49 : using code conversion at the transmitter; using predistortion; using insertion of idle bits for obtaining a desired frequency spectrum; using three or more amplitude levels ; Baseband coding techniques specific to data transmission systems spectral shaping H04L25/03828
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• 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: 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 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A communication device includes: an oscillating circuit for generating a single including a signal potential that is based on a reference potential; a first terminal for communicating with a vehicle; and a first resistance circuit connected between an output of the oscillating circuit and the first terminal and having a resistance value variable according to a first input signal. Preferably, the vehicle includes: a second terminal connected to the first terminal; and a second resistance circuit connected between a ground node fed with the reference potential and the second terminal. The vehicle is provided with a first signal extraction node on a path connecting the second terminal and the second resistance circuit to each other.

Claims

1. A communication device communicating with a vehicle, comprising:

a signal generating unit for generating a signal including a signal potential that is based on a reference potential;

a first terminal for performing two-way communication with said vehicle;

a first resistance circuit connected between an output of said signal generating unit and said first terminal and having a resistance value varying according to a first input signal; and

a detecting unit detecting a signal at a signal extraction node on a path connecting said first terminal and said first resistance circuit to each other.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein

said vehicle includes

a second terminal connected to said first terminal, and

a second resistance circuit connected between a node fed with said reference potential and said second terminal, and

said vehicle is provided with a first signal extraction node on a path connecting said second terminal and said second resistance circuit to each other.

3. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein

said second resistance circuit has a resistance value varying according to a second input signal.

4. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein

said vehicle further includes a rectifying circuit connected between said second terminal and said second resistance circuit, and

said rectifying circuit includes

a rectifying element having a forward direction set at a direction from said second terminal toward said second resistance circuit, and

a switching element becoming conductive in accordance with a control signal to allow a current to flow such that the current is able to flow from said second terminal in a direction opposite to the forward direction of said rectifying element.

5. The communication device according to claim 4, wherein

said second resistance circuit includes

a first resistance element connected between said rectifying element and the node fed with said reference potential, and

a second resistance element connected between said switching element and the node fed with said reference potential.

6. The communication device according to claim 3, wherein when said signal potential is 12 V while said reference potential is 0 V, said first and second resistance circuits are configured to be capable of switchably outputting a plurality of electric potentials from said signal extraction node or said first signal extraction node, said plurality of electric potentials including a first electric potential between 4 V and 5V and a second electric potential between 7 V and 8 V.

7. A communication system comprising:

a vehicle; and

a communication device communicating with said vehicle,

said communication device including

a signal generating unit for generating a signal including a signal potential that is based on a reference potential,

a first terminal for performing two-way communication with said vehicle;

a first resistance circuit connected between an output of said signal generating unit and said first terminal and having a resistance value varying according to a first input signal, and

a detecting unit detecting a signal at a signal extraction node on a path connecting said first terminal and said first resistance circuit to each other.

8. The communication system according to claim 7, wherein

said vehicle includes

a second terminal connected to said first terminal, and

a second resistance circuit connected between a node fed with said reference potential and said second terminal, and

said vehicle is provided with a first signal extraction node on a path connecting said second terminal and said second resistance circuit to each other.

9. The communication system according to claim 8, wherein

said second resistance circuit has a resistance value varying according to a second input signal.

10. The communication system according to claim 8, wherein

said vehicle further includes a rectifying circuit connected between said second terminal and said second resistance circuit, and

said rectifying circuit includes

a rectifying element having a forward direction set at a direction from said second terminal toward said second resistance circuit, and

a switching element becoming conductive in accordance with a control signal to allow a current to flow such that the current is able to flow from said second terminal in a direction opposite to the forward direction of said rectifying element.

11. The communication system according to claim 10, wherein

said second resistance circuit includes

a first resistance element connected between said rectifying element and the node fed with said reference potential, and

a second resistance element connected between said switching element and the node fed with said reference potential.

12. The communication system according to claim 9, wherein

when said signal potential is 12 V while said reference potential is 0 V, said first and second resistance circuits are configured to be capable of switchably outputting a plurality of electric potentials from said signal extraction node or said first signal extraction node, said plurality of electric potentials including a first electric potential between 4 V and 5 V and a second electric potential between 7 V and 8 V.

13. A vehicle communicating with a communication device,

said communication device including

a signal generating unit for generating a signal including a signal potential that is based on a reference potential,

a first terminal performing two-way communication with said vehicle;

a first resistance circuit connected between an output of said signal generating unit and said first terminal and having a resistance value varying according to a first input signal, and

a detecting unit detecting a signal at a signal extraction node on a path connecting said first terminal and said first resistance circuit to each other,

said vehicle comprising;

a second terminal connected to said first terminal; and

a second resistance circuit connected between a node fed with said reference potential and said second terminal,

said vehicle being provided with a first signal extraction node on a path connecting said second terminal and said second resistance circuit to each other.

14. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein

said second resistance circuit has a resistance value varying according to a second input signal.

15. The vehicle according to claim 14, wherein when said signal potential is 12 V while said reference potential is 0 V, said first and second resistance circuits are configured to be capable of switchably outputting a plurality of electric potentials from said signal extraction node or said first signal extraction node, said plurality of electric potentials including a first electric potential between 4 V and 5 V and a second electric potential between 7 V and 8 V.