Charge transfer devices for plug-in electric vehicles

• US 8,896,265 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Laberteaux, Kenneth P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US13/017,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20120194128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,394 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109, 320110-113, 180/65.1, 180/65.21
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/005 dispensed for the electrical charging of vehicles electrical charging as such, B60L50/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A charge transfer device for a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) includes a charging cable system that supplies electric power to the PEV. The charging cable system having a first end connected to a first electrical connector that connects to the PEV for a charging operation and a second, opposite end connected to a second electrical connector for connecting to a power outlet. A meter unit is located between the first and second ends of the charging cable system. The meter unit determines electrical power information for use during the charging operation. A communications unit is located between the first and second ends of the charging cable system. The communications unit communicates the electrical power information to a remote server.

Claims

1. A charge transfer device for a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV), the charge transfer device comprising:

a charging cable system that supplies electric power to the PEV, the charging cable system having a first end connected to a first electrical connector that connects to the PEV for a charging operation and a second, opposite end connected to a second electrical connector for connecting to a supply outlet;

a meter unit located between and in-line with the first and second ends of the charging cable system, the meter unit determines electrical power information for use during the charging operation; and

a communications unit located in-line with the meter unit and between and in-line with the first and second ends of the charging cable system, the communications unit communicates the electrical power information to a remote server, wherein the charging cable system, the meter unit, and the communications unit are portable and sized to travel with the PEV.

2. The charge transfer device of claim 1 wherein the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are different such that the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are not interchangeable.

3. The charge transfer device of claim 1, wherein the meter unit comprises a power measuring device and a controller that monitors signals from the power measuring device to generate the electrical power information.

4. The charge transfer device of claim 1, wherein the communications unit communicates the electrical power information wirelessly to the remote server.

5. The charge transfer device of claim 1 further comprising a payment acceptance device.

6. The charge transfer device of claim 5, wherein the payment acceptance device is a card reader.

7. A system for charging a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV), comprising:

a server;

a charge transfer device comprising;

a charging cable system that supplies electric power to the PEV, the charging cable system having a first end connected to a first electrical connector that connects to the PEV for a charging operation and a second, opposite end connected to a second electrical connector for connecting to a supply outlet;

a meter unit located between and in-line with the first and second ends of the charging cable system, the meter unit determines electrical power information for use during the charging operation; and

a communications unit located in-line with the meter unit and between and in-line with the first and second ends of the charging cable system, the communications unit communicates the electrical power information to the server; and

a mobile communications device that accesses a web-based charge payment application for authorizing a payment based on the electrical power information.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the server hosts the web-based charge payment application.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the mobile communications device is one of a cellular phone, a laptop computer and a hand-held computing device.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are different such that the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are not interchangeable.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the meter unit comprises a power measuring device and a controller that monitors signals from the power measuring device to generate the electrical power information.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the communications unit communicates the electrical power information wirelessly to the server.

13. A method of charging a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV), comprising:

providing at least one of billing information, personal information and vehicle information to a charge transfer device comprising a charging cable system that supplies electric power to the PEV;

connecting a first end of the charging cable system to the PEV using a first electrical connector;

connecting a second, opposite end of the charging cable system to a supply outlet;

generating electrical power information using an amount of power flow transferred to the PEV using a meter unit located between and in-line with the first and second ends of the charging cable system; and

communicating the electrical power information to a remote server using a communications unit located in-line with the meter unit and between and in-line with the first and second ends of the charging cable system, wherein the electrical power information is used for a billing operation using the electrical power information and the at least one of the billing information, personal information and vehicle information.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising saving the at least one of the billing information, personal information and vehicle information in memory of the charge transfer device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the power outlet is owned by an entity other than an operator of the PEV.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising authorizing the billing operation using a mobile communications device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the mobile communications device is one of a cellular phone, a laptop computer and a hand-held computing device.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the meter unit comprises a power measuring device and a controller that monitors signals from the power measuring device to generate the electrical power information.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the electrical power information is communicated wirelessly by the charge transfer device to the remote server.