Method and apparatus for high-voltage DC charging of battery-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles

• US 9,114,716 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2013
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Loftus, Michael Edward, Proietty, John, Syed, Fazal Urrahman, Tabatowski-Bush, Ben A., MacNeille, Perry Robinson
• Primary Examiner(s): Siek, Vuthe
• Application Number:
  US13/732,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20140184141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/105, 320/109
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/00 Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/122 Provisions for temporary connection of DC sources of essentially the same voltage, e.g. jumpstart cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• 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 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• 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 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A portable charging device can provide controllable fast DC charging of an electric vehicle (EV) high voltage battery by a separate EV high voltage battery. The charging device can be configured to comply with universal standards for EV charging so as to be compatible with various automobile models of various manufacturers. The device can be configured to establish a communication link with a donor and recipient vehicle and conduct a voltage matching process between the batteries of the two vehicles prior to transferring power to the recipient vehicle battery. To prevent energy theft, control of a charging process can be shared among the charging device and the donor and receiver vehicles. A charger device can be configured to enable a charging process only when no faults are detected. A charger device can allow a motorist to quickly recharge a depleted high voltage battery at a convenient time and location.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a donor energy storage device (ESD) at a donor electric vehicle;

a recipient ESD at a receiving electric vehicle; and

a self-contained portable cross electric vehicle charger (PxEVC) configured to releasably couple a first charging interface at said donor electric vehicle and releasably couple a second charging interface at said receiving electric vehicle, said PxEVC configured to controllably transfer power from said donor ESD to said receiving ESD.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said PxEVC is configured to to match an output voltage at said PxEVC to a requested recipient ESD voltage prior to transferring power from said donor ESD to said recipient ESD.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said PxEVC comprises a power conversion module configured for DC/DC power conversion.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said PxEVC comprises a processing module configured for communication with said donor and recipient vehicles.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said PxEVC is configured to detect a fault.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said PxEVC is configured for fast DC charging of said recipient ESD.

7. A stand-alone charging apparatus for an electrified vehicle, comprising:

a charge transfer control unit (CTCU) configured to transfer energy between a donor electric vehicle and a recipient electric vehicle;

a first cable coupled to said CTCU and terminating with a first connector configured for releasably coupling a first charge interface at said donor vehicle;

a second cable coupled to said CTCU and terminating with a second connector configured for releasably coupling a second charge interface at said recipient vehicle; and

wherein said apparatus is configured to controllably charge a recipient energy storage device (ESD) of said recipient vehicle using energy from a donor ESD of said donor vehicle.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said apparatus is configured to enable DC charging of said recipient vehicle ESD with current ranging between zero and two hundred amperes.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said apparatus is configured to enable DC charging of said receiving vehicle ESD with voltage ranging between 200 and 500 volts.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said CTCU comprises a power conversion module having a DC/DC converter and configured to transfer energy between said donor and recipient ESDs.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said CTCU comprises a processing module configured for controlling said power conversion module.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said CTCU comprises a processing module configured for communication with said donor and recipient vehicles.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said CTCU comprises a human machine interface (HMI) configured to receive operator input.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said CTCU is configured to provide an output voltage at said power conversion module that matches a requested recipient ESD voltage prior to charging said recipient ESD.

15. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said apparatus is portable.

16. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said apparatus is configured to provide DC power to said recipient vehicle ESD.

17. A method, comprising:

a first cable of a stand-alone portable cross electric vehicle charger (PxEVC) coupling a first charge interface at a donor vehicle;

a second cable of said PxEVC coupling a second charge interface at a recipient vehicle;

said PxEVC detecting presence or absence of a fault; and

said PxEVC controllably DC charging said recipient vehicle energy storage device (ESD) using said donor vehicle ESD.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising said PxEVC establishing a communication link with said donor vehicle and with said recipient vehicle.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising said PxEVC providing an output voltage that matches a requested recipient vehicle ESD voltage.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising said PxEVC confirming said donor vehicle authorization for said charging.