Method, system and device for charging an electric vehicle

• US 9,248,753 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2011
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ABB BV (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB BV (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Bouman, Crijn
• Primary Examiner(s): Kik, Phallaka
• Application Number:
  US13/991,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20130314043A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,520 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109, 320/104, 180/65.29, 180/65.31, 307/150
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/60 Monitoring or controlling charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/24 including control of energy storage means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• 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

A method is disclosed for charging an electric vehicle, which includes determining a suitable charge algorithm for charging the electric vehicle, providing the charger with the algorithm and charging the electric vehicle according to the algorithm. A charger for an electric vehicle can be configured to have an updatable charging algorithm set, such as a charger configured for receiving and executing charging algorithms in the form of an executable script. Parameters for the charging algorithm may be received from a different source than the algorithm.

Claims

1. Method for charging an electric vehicle using an off-board charger, comprising:

A. determining a suitable charge algorithm for charging the electric vehicle based on external parameters which includes at least one of;

grid power availability, demand on other charging ports of the off-board charger, and price or demand on other charging ports of another charger, wherein

the charge algorithm includes a procedure for controlling a charging operation of a charger, dependent on charge parameters including at least one of voltage, current, time and temperature;

B. providing at least one of the off-board charger and the vehicle with the charge algorithm by uploading the charge algorithm into a controller of the vehicle, the controller being accessible by at least one of the vehicle and the off-board charger that charges the vehicle; and

C. charging the electric vehicle according to the charge algorithm.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein step B comprises:

B1. providing the off-board charger with charge parameters for use with the charge algorithm.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein step B comprises:

B2. providing the charge parameters from a different location than the charge algorithm.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein step B comprises:

B3. reading the charge algorithm and/or charge parameters from a database in a data-network that includes the off-board charger.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein step B comprises:

B4. reading the charge algorithm and/or charge parameters from a database or memory in the vehicle to be charged.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein step B comprises:

B5. providing the charge algorithm as a computer readable script, and step C comprises;

C1;

charging the electric vehicle by executing the script by the off-board charger.

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the charge algorithm is designed as a universal algorithm, which provokes extended functions.

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the charge algorithm comprises:

multiple loops, wherein the loops are stored on different locations, at least one of which is a central database and/or a memory located in the vehicle.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein during step C the charge algorithm influences power delivery of a power converter which is part of the off-board charger.

10. Method according to claim 1, wherein during step C the charge algorithm influences power delivery of a power converter which is part of the vehicle.

11. An off-board charger for an electric vehicle, comprising:

a memory storing an updatable charge algorithm set for charging a vehicle based on external parameters, the updateable charge algorithm set including a plurality of charge algorithms; and

a vehicle charging device whose charging operation is controlled by at least one of the charge algorithms from the charge algorithm set.

12. Off-board charger according to claim 11, comprising:

a controller for receiving and executing at least one of the charge algorithms as an executable script for the charging operation.

13. Off-board charger according to claim 11, comprising:

a controller for receiving charge parameters for use in the at least one charge algorithm from a different source than the at least one charge algorithm.

14. Off-board charger according to claim 11 comprising:

a power converter for power delivery during charging of the electric vehicle according to at least one of the charge algorithms which includes the power delivery.

15. System for charging electric vehicles, comprising:

a data network that includes;

a database for reading at least one of a vehicle charge algorithm and parameters from an off-board charger according to claim 11, which off-board charge is located at a charging station.

16. System according to claim 15, wherein the database is a central database, on a server that is part of the data network or at least one other network to which the off-board charger is configured to connect.

17. System according to claim 15, wherein the data network is a cloud network, and wherein the off-board charger comprises:

a controller for uploading and executing the charge algorithms of the updatable charge algorithm set, wherein the controller is in interaction with a server of the cloud network through a communication port for receiving the charge algorithms.

18. System for charging electric vehicles, comprising:

at least one user/operator interface for receiving user preferences;

at least one server which holds a database of charge algorithms, and selects a charge algorithm to be provided to an off-board charger based on external parameters which include at least one of;

grid power availability, or price or demand on other charging ports of a same or another off-board charger;

at least one interface for uploading charge algorithms to a server database;

at least one off-board charger configured for receiving charge algorithms from the at least one server, the off-board charger including;

a primary power exchange port for receiving power from a power source;

at least one secondary power exchange port for exchanging power with an electric vehicle;

at least one communication port for exchanging data or information with a vehicle;

at least one power converter for converting power between a primary power exchange port and at least one secondary power exchange port;

a controller for executing a charge algorithm received from the server and for controlling the power converter according to the executed charge algorithm;

a communication port which is communicatively coupled to at least one server, for receiving the charge algorithms and delivering them to the controller; and

a device for measuring a variable indicative of power delivered to the charger, and for generating a signal representing measured power, the device being configured to deliver the signal to the controller.

19. System according to claim 18, comprising:

an energy storage system coupled to the off-board charger for supplying power to the off-board charger when the power source is not sufficient.