Vehicle bi-directional power inverter system and method
First Claim
1. A vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle power system including a bi-directional inverter, the bi-directional inverter having;
an alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) inverter configured to receive AC power from a power grid and generate DC power on a DC bus operatively coupled to a vehicle battery;
a DC to AC inverter configured to receive DC power from the DC bus and generate AC power delivered to the power grid;
an energy management system operatively coupled to the AC to DC inverter and the DC to AC inverter and configured to selectively operate the bi-directional inverter in a charging mode or a generation mode; and
a power line communications (PLC) coupler configured to transfer electronic data between the energy management system and a power plant network through the power grid;
wherein the energy management system is configured to automatically generate a charge/generation schedule based, at least in part, on the electronic data received from the power plant network through the power grid.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a bi-directional inverter of a vehicle. The bi-directional inverter may include an alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) inverter configured to receive AC power from a power grid and generate DC power on a DC bus operatively coupled to a vehicle battery. The bi-directional inverter may also include a DC to AC inverter configured to receive DC power from the DC bus and generate AC power delivered to the power grid. The bi-directional inverter may also include an energy management system operatively coupled to the AC to DC inverter and the DC to AC inverter and configured to selectively operate the bi-directional inverter in a charging mode or a generation mode. Additionally, the bi-directional inverter may include a power line communications (PLC) coupler configured to transfer electronic data between the energy management system and a power plant network through the power grid.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A vehicle, comprising:
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a vehicle power system including a bi-directional inverter, the bi-directional inverter having; an alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) inverter configured to receive AC power from a power grid and generate DC power on a DC bus operatively coupled to a vehicle battery; a DC to AC inverter configured to receive DC power from the DC bus and generate AC power delivered to the power grid; an energy management system operatively coupled to the AC to DC inverter and the DC to AC inverter and configured to selectively operate the bi-directional inverter in a charging mode or a generation mode; and a power line communications (PLC) coupler configured to transfer electronic data between the energy management system and a power plant network through the power grid; wherein the energy management system is configured to automatically generate a charge/generation schedule based, at least in part, on the electronic data received from the power plant network through the power grid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A vehicle, comprising:
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a vehicle power system including a bi-directional inverter, the bi-directional inverter having; an alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) inverter configured to receive AC power from a power grid and generate DC power on a DC bus operatively coupled to a vehicle battery; a DC to AC inverter configured to receive DC power from the DC bus and generate AC power delivered to the power grid; and an energy management system operatively coupled to the AC to DC inverter and the DC to AC inverter and configured to selectively operate the bi-directional inverter in a charging mode or a generation mode; wherein the energy management system is configured to automatically generate a charge/generation schedule based, at least in part, on electricity rates received from a power plant network through the power grid. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A vehicle, comprising:
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a vehicle power system including; an alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) inverter configured to receive AC power from a power grid and generate DC power on a DC bus operatively coupled to a vehicle battery; a DC to AC inverter configured to receive DC power from the DC bus and generate AC power delivered to the power grid; an energy management system operatively coupled to the AC to DC inverter and the DC to AC inverter and configured to selectively operate the vehicle power system in a charging mode or a generation mode; and a power line communications (PLC) coupler configured to transfer electronic data between the energy management system and a power plant network through the power grid; wherein the energy management system is configured to automatically generate a charge/generation schedule based, at least in part, on electricity rates received from the power plant network through the power grid. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification