Electric vehicle, electric-vehicle charging stand and communication system therebetween

• US 8,994,328 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2011
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LSIS Co. Ltd. (LS Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LSIS Co. Ltd. (LS Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Chung woo
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): OMAR, AHMED H
• Application Number:
  US13/241,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20120200258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed are an electric vehicle (EV), an EV charging stand, and a communication system therebetween, the EV including a charge control unit configured to detect a preparation state for charging a battery and output a resistance varying signal according to the detected state, and a resistor unit configured to vary a resistance value in response to the resistance varying signal, thus changing a voltage value of a state signal transmitted to the EV charging stand, and the EV charging stand including a comparator configured to receive a stage signal from the EV, compare a voltage value of the received state signal with a reference value, and output a signal in response to a result of comparing, and a control unit configured to receive the signal from the comparator and detect a preparation state for charging the battery of the EV.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle (EV) charging stand, comprising:

a plurality of comparators configured to receive a state signal from an electric vehicle (EV), to compare a voltage value of the received state signal with a reference value, and to output a plurality of signals in response to a result of the comparing, wherein each of the plurality of comparators has a different reference value; and

a control unit configured to receive the plurality of signals outputted from the plurality of comparators, and to detect a preparation state for charging a battery of the EV.

2. The EV charging stand as set forth in claim 1, wherein the each of the plurality of comparators is configured to compare the voltage value of the state signal received from the EV with the reference value, and to output a Tow′

signal when the voltage value of the state signal is lower than the reference value and output a ‘

High’

signal when the voltage value of the state signal is higher than the reference value.

3. The EV charging stand as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of photo-couplers configured to electrically insulate the plurality of comparators from the control unit, and to transmit the plurality of signals outputted from the comparator to the control unit.

4. The EV charging stand as set forth in claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to detect a preparation state for charging the battery of the EV, in response to the plurality of signals received from the plurality of photo-couplers.

5. The EV charging stand as set forth in claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to detect the preparation state for charging the battery of the EV in response to the received plurality of signals, and to control an operation of an electric power unit supplying a current for charging the battery to the EV connected to the EV charging stand, based on the detected preparation state.

6. The EV charging stand as set forth in claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to detect the preparation state for charging the battery of the EV in response to the received plurality of signals, and to control a display unit provided in the EV charging stand so that the detected preparation state is displayed in the display unit.

7. The EV charging stand as set forth in claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle (EV) comprises:

a charge control unit configured to detect a preparation state for charging a battery of the EV, and to output a resistance varying signal according to the detected preparation state, and

a resistor unit configured to vary a resistance value in response to the resistance varying signal outputted from the charge control unit, thus changing a voltage value of a state signal transmitted to the EV charging stand connected to the EV when the battery is charged.

8. The EV charging stand as set forth in claim 7, wherein the charge control unit receives a pulse signal from the EV charging stand to be synchronized with the control unit of the EV charging stand.