Smarter charging of plug-in vehicles

• US 9,511,677 B1
• Filed: 12/01/2011
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Brooks, Alexander Nelson
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnes-Bullock, Crystal J
• Application Number:
  US13/309,407
• Time in Patent Office: 1,832 Days
• Field of Search: 700286-287, 700/295, 307/41
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/22 The renewable source being solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 The renewable source being wind energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/003 Load forecast, e.g. methods or systems for forecasting future load demand
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/008 involving trading of energy or energy transmission rights
• 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 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 : Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• 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 10/80 : Technologies aiming to reduce greenhouse gasses emissions common to all road transportation technologies
• 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 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 : Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

A system is described to enable charging of electric vehicles. A scheduler determines charging profiles for electric vehicles based on a time period within a day that is beneficial to an electric grid while still meeting the needs of drivers of the electric vehicles. A service provider charges the electric vehicles according to the charging profiles.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of scheduling electric vehicles for charging, the method comprising:

receiving a request for charging profiles for a plurality of electric vehicles to be charged, wherein the request for charging profiles includes for each electric vehicle;

an amount of charging energy required by the electric vehicle, a charging rate of the electric vehicle, and a time, based in part on the amount of charging energy required by the electric vehicle and the charging rate of the electric vehicle, when the charging of the electric vehicle is to be completed;

determining the charging profiles for the plurality of electric vehicles based on an amount of power available on an electric grid for charging the plurality of electric vehicles, each charging profile indicating a time to begin charging an associated electric vehicle and a time to stop charging the electric vehicle; and

transmitting the charging profiles to a service provider that charges the plurality of electric vehicles according to the charging profiles.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a power profile comprising the amount of power available on the electric grid for charging the plurality of electric vehicles and a time period in which the power is available on the electric grid;

wherein the time period is associated with a duration of time when a renewable energy source operates at peak energy generation.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the renewable energy source comprises at least one of a wind turbine, a solar photovoltaic power plant, or a solar thermal electric plant.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the determination of the charging profiles is further based on the time period in which the power is available on the electric grid, a time when charging of each of the plurality of electric vehicles is to be completed, an amount of charging energy required by each of the plurality of electric vehicles, and a charging rate of each of the plurality of electric vehicles.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving an indication of an upcoming time to begin charging an electric vehicle;

requesting an updated power profile responsive to the indication;

receiving the updated power profile comprising an updated amount of power available on the electric grid and an updated time period in which the power is available on the electric grid; and

determining an updated charging profile for the electric vehicle based on the updated power profile, the updated charging profile comprising an updated time to begin charging the electric vehicle.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the selected energy supplier is selected based on a time when charging of the plurality of electric vehicles is to be completed.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the time to begin charging the electric vehicle is after a time when the electric vehicle is connected to a charging station and wherein the time to stop charging the electric vehicle is before the time when charging of the electric vehicle is to be completed.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the time to begin charging the electric vehicle is after a time when the electric vehicle is connected to a charging station and wherein the time to stop charging the electric vehicle corresponds to the time when charging of the electric vehicle is to be completed.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting an energy supplier from a plurality of energy suppliers that submitted bids for supplying energy for the electric grid, each bid indicative of a cost of energy supplied by an associated energy supplier; and

determining the charging profiles for the plurality of electric vehicles based on a power profile corresponding to the energy purchased from the selected energy supplier.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein, for at least one vehicle, the amount of charging energy required by the electric vehicle and time the charging of the vehicle is to be completed is specified by a driver of the vehicle.

11. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing executable computer program code for scheduling electric vehicles for charging, the code when executed are for:

receiving a request for charging profiles for a plurality of electric vehicles to be charged, wherein the request for charging profiles includes for each electric vehicle;

an amount of charging energy required by the electric vehicle, a charging rate of the electric vehicle, and a time, based in part on the amount of charging energy required by the electric vehicle and the charging rate of the electric vehicle, when the charging of the electric vehicle is to be completed;

determining the charging profiles for the plurality of electric vehicles based on an amount of power available on an electric grid for charging the plurality of electric vehicles, each charging profile indicating a time to begin charging an associated electric vehicle and a time to stop charging the electric vehicle; and

transmitting the charging profiles to a service provider that charges the plurality of electric vehicles according to the charging profiles.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the code when executed are further for:

receiving a power profile comprising the amount of power available on the electric grid for charging the plurality of electric vehicles and a time period in which the power is available on the electric grid;

wherein the time period is associated with a duration of time when a renewable energy source operates at peak energy generation.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the renewable energy source comprises at least one of a wind turbine, a solar photovoltaic power plant, or a solar thermal electric plant.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the determination of the charging profiles is further based on the time period in which the power is available on the electric grid, a time when charging of each of the plurality of electric vehicles is to be completed, an amount of charging energy required by each of the plurality of electric vehicles, and a charging rate of each of the plurality of electric vehicles.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the code when executed are further for:

receiving an indication of an upcoming time to begin charging an electric vehicle;

requesting an updated power profile responsive to the indication;

receiving the updated power profile comprising an updated amount of power available on the electric grid and an updated time period in which the power is available on the electric grid; and

determining an updated charging profile for the electric vehicle based on the updated power profile, the updated charging profile comprising an updated time to begin charging the electric vehicle.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the time to begin charging the electric vehicle is after a time when the electric vehicle is connected to a charging station and wherein the time to stop charging the electric vehicle is before the time when charging of the electric vehicle is to be completed.

17. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the time to begin charging the electric vehicle is after a time when the electric vehicle is connected to a charging station and wherein the time to stop charging the electric vehicle corresponds to the time when charging of the electric vehicle is to be completed.

18. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the code when executed are further for:

selecting an energy supplier from a plurality of energy suppliers that submitted bids for supplying energy for the electric grid, each bid indicative of a cost of energy supplied by an associated energy supplier; and

determining the charging profiles for the plurality of electric vehicles based on a power profile corresponding to the energy purchased from the selected energy supplier.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the selected energy supplier is selected based on a time when charging of the plurality of electric vehicles is to be completed.

20. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein, for at least one vehicle, the amount of charging energy required by the electric vehicle and time the charging of the vehicle is to be completed is specified by a driver of the vehicle.

21. A computer system for scheduling electric vehicles for charging, the system comprising:

a computer processor;

a computer-readable storage medium comprising executable computer program code when executed by the computer processor are for;

receiving a request for charging profiles for a plurality of electric vehicles to be charged, wherein the request for charging profiles includes for each electric vehicle;

an amount of charging energy required by the electric vehicle, a charging rate of the electric vehicle, and a time, based in part on the amount of charging energy required by the electric vehicle and the charging rate of the electric vehicle, when the charging of the electric vehicle is to be completed;

determining the charging profiles for the plurality of electric vehicles based on an amount of power available on an electric grid for charging the plurality of electric vehicles, each charging profile indicating a time to begin charging an associated electric vehicle and a time to stop charging the electric vehicle; and

transmitting the charging profiles to a service provider that charges the plurality of electric vehicles according to the charging profiles.

22. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the code when executed by the processor are further for:

receiving a power profile comprising the amount of power available on the electric grid for charging the plurality of electric vehicles and a time period in which the power is available on the electric grid;

wherein the time period is associated with a duration of time when a renewable energy source operates at peak energy generation.

23. The computer system of claim 22, wherein the renewable energy source comprises at least one of a wind turbine, a solar photovoltaic power plant, or a solar thermal electric plant.

24. The computer system of claim 22, wherein the determination of the charging profiles is further based on the time period in which the power is available on the electric grid, a time when charging of each of the plurality of electric vehicles is to be completed, an amount of charging energy required by each of the plurality of electric vehicles, and a charging rate of each of the plurality of electric vehicles.

25. The computer system of claim of claim 22, wherein the code when executed by the processor are further for:

receiving an indication of an upcoming time to begin charging an electric vehicle;

requesting an updated power profile responsive to the indication;

receiving the updated power profile comprising an updated amount of power available on the electric grid and an updated time period in which the power is available on the electric grid; and

determining an updated charging profile for the electric vehicle based on the updated power profile, the updated charging profile comprising an updated time to begin charging the electric vehicle.

26. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the time to begin charging the electric vehicle is after a time when the electric vehicle is connected to a charging station and wherein the time to stop charging the electric vehicle is before the time when charging of the electric vehicle is to be completed.

27. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the time to begin charging the electric vehicle is after a time when the electric vehicle is connected to a charging station and wherein the time to stop charging the electric vehicle corresponds to the time when charging of the electric vehicle is to be completed.

28. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the code when executed by the processor are further for:

selecting an energy supplier from a plurality of energy suppliers that submitted bids for supplying energy for the electric grid, each bid indicative of a cost of energy supplied by an associated energy supplier; and

determining the charging profiles for the plurality of electric vehicles based on a power profile corresponding to the energy purchased from the selected energy supplier.

29. The computer system of claim 28, wherein the selected energy supplier is selected based on a time when charging of the plurality of electric vehicles is to be completed.

30. The computer system of claim 21, wherein, for at least one vehicle, the amount of charging energy required by the electric vehicle and time the charging of the vehicle is to be completed is specified by a driver of the vehicle.