Power supply system, electric vehicle and charging adapter

• US 8,933,670 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2012
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Ohtomo, Yosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US13/612,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20130076122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 320/133
• US Class Current: 320/133
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• 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 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 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

There are provided a power supply system, an electric vehicle and a charging adapter. Electric power from a commercial power supply is distributed to electric lines by way of a distribution board and provided to electric apparatuses and an electric vehicle from the electric lines. When power consumption of electric apparatuses exceeds a predetermined value upon charging the electric vehicle, charging power to be supplied to the electric vehicle is decreased. Decreasing the charging power to the electric vehicle can avoid the restriction of the use of the electric apparatuses, thereby improving user'"'"'s satisfaction.

Claims

1. A power supply system that supplies charging power to an electric vehicle equipped with an electric storage device as well as electric power to another electric apparatus, the power supply system comprising:

a power adjustment unit that increases and decreases charging power to be supplied to the electric storage device based on an operation state of the electric apparatus,

wherein, the power adjustment unit has, as a charging mode, a first charging mode in which the electric storage device is charged with first charging power, a second charging mode in which the electric storage device is charged with second charging power smaller than the first power, and a third charging mode in which the electric storage device is charged with third charging power larger than the first power;

wherein, when power consumption of the electric apparatus exceeds a predetermined value, the power adjustment unit switches the charging mode from either one of the first charging mode and the third charging mode to the second charging mode so as to decreases charging power to be supplied to the electric storage; and

wherein, when receiving operation scheduling information of the electric apparatus, the power adjustment unit switches the charging mode from either one of the first charging mode and the second charging mode to the third charging mode so as to increase charging power to be supplied to the electric storage device.

2. The power supply system according to claim I, further comprising:

a time calculator that calculates a charging time until the electric storage device reaches to a predetermined charge state based on charging power supplied to the electric storage device; and

a time display that displays a charging time calculated by the time calculator on a display device,

wherein the time display continues to display a currently displayed charging time on the display device until a charging time that is longer than the currently displayed charging time by a predetermined value is calculated.

3. An electric vehicle that, when in use, is connected to a power supply system supplying electric power to an electric apparatus, the electric vehicle comprising:

an electric storage device charged with charging power supplied from the power supply system,

wherein the electric vehicle includes a power adjustment unit that increases and decreases charging power to be supplied to the electric device based on an operation state of the electric apparatus;

wherein, the power adjustment unit has, as a charging mode, a first charging mode in which the electric storage device is charged with first charging power, a second charging mode in which the electric storage device is charged with second charging power smaller than the first power, and a third charging mode in which the electric storage device is charged with third charging power larger than the first power;

wherein, when power consumption of the electric apparatus exceeds a predetermined value, the power adjustment unit switches the charging mode from either one of the first charging mode and the third charging mode to the second charging mode so as to decrease charging power to be supplied to the electric storage device while maintaining the operation state of the electric apparatus; and

wherein, when receiving operation scheduling information of the electric apparatus, the power adjustment unit switches the charging mode from either one of the first charging mode and the second charging mode to the third charging mode so as to increase charging power to be supplied to the electric storage device.

4. The electric vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising:

a time calculator that calculates a charging time until the electric storage device reaches to a predetermined charge state based on charging power supplied to the electric storage device; and

a time display that displays a charging time calculated by the time calculator on a display device,

wherein the time display continues to display a currently displayed charging time on the display device until a charging time that is longer than the currently displayed charging time by a predetermined value is calculated.

5. A charging adaptor that, when in use, is connected to a power supply system supplying electric power to an electric apparatus, and supplies charging power to an electric storage device of an electric vehicle, the charging adaptor comprising:

a power adjustment unit that increases and decreases charging power to be supplied to the electric device based on an operation state of the electric apparatus,

wherein, the power adjustment unit has, as a charging mode, a first charging mode in which the electric storage device is charged with first charging power, a second charging mode in which the electric storage device is charged with second charging power smaller than the first power, and a third charging mode in which the electric storage device is charged with third charging power larger than the first power;

wherein, when power consumption of the electric apparatus exceeds a predetermined value, the power adjustment unit switches the charging mode from either one of the first charging mode and the third charging mode to the second charging mode so as to decrease charging power to be supplied to the electric storage device while maintaining the operation state of the electric apparatus; and

wherein, when receiving operation scheduling information of the electric apparatus, the power adjustment unit switches the charging mode from either one of the first charging mode and the second charging mode to the third charging mode so as to increase charging power to be supplied to the electric storage device.

6. The charging adaptor according to claim 5, further comprising:

a time calculator that calculates a charging time until the electric storage device reaches to a predetermined charge state based on charging power supplied to the electric storage device; and

a time display that displays a charging time calculated by the time calculator on a display device,

wherein the time display continues to display a currently displayed charging time on the display device until a charging time that is longer than the currently displayed charging time by a predetermined value is calculated.