Multi-protocol charge port for an electric vehicle
First Claim
1. A method of conductive charging an electric vehicle at a charging station, the charging station being configured to provide charge to the vehicle using a charging station charge protocol and the vehicle being configured to receive charge from the charging station using a vehicle charge protocol, comprising:
- connecting an electrical connector of the charging station to a charge port of the vehicle, the electrical connector including multiple electrodes that mate with electrodes of the charge port to form multiple contacts that electrically connect the charging station to the vehicle;
receiving, at the vehicle, through a first contact of the multiple contacts, a signal indicative of the charging station charge protocol;
automatically selecting the vehicle charge protocol to be a first charge protocol if the signal received through the first contact is a first value and selecting the vehicle charge protocol to be a second charge protocol if the signal received through the first contact is a second value different from the first value, wherein the first charge protocol and the second charge protocol are different charge protocols that define conductive charging of the vehicle by providing DC current to the charge port from the charging station; and
charging the vehicle using the selected vehicle charge protocol.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of charging an electric vehicle at a charging station includes electrically connecting the charging station to the vehicle. The charging station may be configured to charge the vehicle using a charging station charge protocol and the vehicle may be configured to receive the charge using a vehicle charge protocol. The vehicle receives a signal indicative of the charging station charge protocol and selects the vehicle charge protocol based on this signal. The vehicle is then charged using the selected vehicle charge protocol. While selecting, the vehicle may select one charge protocol from multiple charge protocols supported by the vehicle to match the charging station charge protocol.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of conductive charging an electric vehicle at a charging station, the charging station being configured to provide charge to the vehicle using a charging station charge protocol and the vehicle being configured to receive charge from the charging station using a vehicle charge protocol, comprising:
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connecting an electrical connector of the charging station to a charge port of the vehicle, the electrical connector including multiple electrodes that mate with electrodes of the charge port to form multiple contacts that electrically connect the charging station to the vehicle; receiving, at the vehicle, through a first contact of the multiple contacts, a signal indicative of the charging station charge protocol; automatically selecting the vehicle charge protocol to be a first charge protocol if the signal received through the first contact is a first value and selecting the vehicle charge protocol to be a second charge protocol if the signal received through the first contact is a second value different from the first value, wherein the first charge protocol and the second charge protocol are different charge protocols that define conductive charging of the vehicle by providing DC current to the charge port from the charging station; and charging the vehicle using the selected vehicle charge protocol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of conductive charging an electric vehicle at a charging station, the charging station being configured to provide charge to the vehicle using a charging station charge protocol and the vehicle being configured to receive charge from the charging station using a vehicle charge protocol, comprising:
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connecting a SAE J1772 connector of the charging station to a SAE J1772 charge port of the vehicle; detecting a voltage on a proximity detection pin of the SAE J1772 connector; selecting SAE J1772 charge protocol as the vehicle charge protocol if the detected voltage on the proximity detection pin of the SAE J1772 connector is a first value and selecting a different charge protocol as the vehicle charge protocol if the detected voltage is a second value different from the first value, wherein the SAE J1772 charge protocol and the different charge protocol are two different charge protocols that define conductive charging of the vehicle by providing DC current to the SAE J1772 charge port from the charging station; and charging the vehicle using the selected vehicle charge protocol. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of conductive charging an electric bus at a charging station, the charging station being configured to provide charge to the bus using a charging station charge protocol and the bus being configured to receive charge from the charging station using a bus charge protocol, comprising:
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connecting a SAE J1772 connector of the charging station to a SAE J1772 charge port of the bus; detecting a voltage on a proximity detection pin of the SAE J1772 connector; selecting SAE J1772 charge protocol as the bus charge protocol if the detected voltage on the proximity detection pin of the SAE J1772 connector is a first value and selecting a different charge protocol as the bus charge protocol if the detected voltage is a second value different from the first value, wherein the SAE J1772 charge protocol and the different charge protocol are two different charge protocols that define conductive charging of the bus by providing DC current to the SAE J1772 charge port from the charging station; activating an indicator after the selecting to indicate that the bus is ready to receive charge from the charging station; and charging the bus using the selected vehicle charge protocol after the indicator is detected. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification