Method and arrangement for controlling charging of an energy storage system

• US 9,931,946 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2013
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Storm, Jonas
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Testardi, David A
• Application Number:
  US14/891,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20160121734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,784 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/18 Buses
• 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 5/24 Pantographs
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/53 in combination with an external power supply, e.g. from overhead contact lines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/32 by charging in short intervals along the itinerary, e.g. during short stops
• 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 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/143 Busses
• 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 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A method is provided for controlling charging of an energy storage system in a vehicle including an electric machine which is arranged for propulsion of the vehicle. The method includes initiating the charging upon connection of the energy storage system to an external power supply via connector elements; and transmitting, between the vehicle and the external power supply, a control signal including data related to the charging by a wireless transmission link. The method furthermore includes evaluating whether the control signal is received; and terminating the charging in the event that the control signal is not received. An arrangement for controlling charging of an energy storage system is also provided.

Claims

1. Method for controlling charging of an energy storage system in a vehicle comprising an electric machine which is arranged for propulsion of the vehicle, the method comprising:

initiating the charging upon connection of the energy storage system to an external power supply via connector elements;

transmitting, from the vehicle to the external power supply, a control signal comprising data related to the charging by means of a wireless transmission link;

determining, in a vehicle control unit, whether at least one parameter of the data deviates from a predetermined parameter value and, upon determining that at least one parameter of the data deviates from the predetermined parameter value, terminating transmission of the control signal;

determining, in the external power supply, whether the control signal has not been received;

terminating the charging upon determining that the control signal has not been received;

providing a predetermined modulation upon a requested charging pattern;

determining that the charging supplied to the energy storage system does not comprise the predetermined modulation; and

indicating that the char in of the energy storage system is erroneous upon determining that the charging supplied to the energy storage system does not comprise the predetermined modulation

wherein the data related to the charging comprises information related to at least one of the following parameters;

i) a current position of the vehicle;

ii) any occurrence of movement of the vehicle;

iii) the identity of the vehicle;

iv) electrical isolation of the energy storage system;

v) a status of connector elements of components of the vehicle;

vi) a charging current;

vii) a charging voltage; and

viii) a temperature of the connector elements.

2. Method according to claim 1, comprising

providing the control signal in the form of a modulated radio signal transmitted by means of a radio transmitter unit in the vehicle;

and

receiving the control signal by means of a radio receiver unit in the external power supply.

3. Method according to claim 2, comprising

transmitting and receiving the radio signal by means of a wireless short-range radio network.

4. Method according to claim 2, comprising

terminating the charging upon detecting that a carrier wave of the modulated radio signal is interrupted.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the control signal is provided in at least one of the following forms:

i) a generally continuous signal having a predetermined frequency and/or amplitude;

ii) a generally pulse-shaped signal with a predetermined pulse width and/or amplitude; and

iii) a repeated sequence comprising a signal as defined in i) or ii) and a pause of predetermined length.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the parameter corresponding to any occurring movement of the vehicle is determined by detecting whether the vehicle, or any part thereof, is located within a predetermined area or section.

7. Method according to claim 1, comprising

detecting that the charging has been terminated due to the control signal not being received;

and

generating an alarm signal upon detecting that the charging has been terminated due to the control signal not being received.

8. Method according to claim 1, comprising

detecting that the charging has been terminated;

and

disconnecting the energy storage system from the external power supply upon detecting that the charging has been terminated.

9. An arrangement for controlling charging of an energy storage system in a vehicle comprising an electric machine which is arranged for propulsion of the vehicle, the arrangement comprising

an external power supply arranged for initiating charging upon connection of the energy storage system to the external power supply via connector elements, and

a transmitter unit and receiver unit for wirelessly transmitting a control signal comprising data related to the charging from the vehicle to the external power supply,

wherein the arrangement is configured for determining, in a vehicle control unit, that at least one parameter of the data deviates from a predetermined parameter value and, upon determining that at least one parameter of the data deviates from the predetermined parameter value, terminating transmission of the control signal, for determining, in the external power supply, that the control signal has not been received in the receiver unit, and for terminating the charging upon determining that the control signal has not been received;

wherein the data related to the charging comprises information related to at least one of the following parameters;

i) a current position of the vehicle;

ii) any occurrence of movement of the vehicle;

iii) the identity of the vehicle;

iv) electrical isolation of the energy storage system;

v) a status of connector elements of the vehicle;

vi) a charging current;

vii) a charging voltage; and

viii) a temperature of the connector elements, a

wherein the control unit comprises a modulation unit for applying a predetermined modulation upon a requested charging pattern and an evaluation unit for determining whether the charging supplied to the energy storage system comprises the predetermined modulation and indicating that the charging of the energy storage system is erroneous upon determining the charging supplied to the energy storage system does not comprise the predetermined modulation.

10. Arrangement according to claim 9, comprising a transmitter unit for providing the control signal in the form of a modulated radio signal, and a radio receiver unit in the external power supply for receiving the control signal.

11. Arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the radio transmitter unit and radio receiver unit form part of a wireless short-range radio network.

12. Arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the control unit is configured for determining that the charging has been terminated due to the control signal not being received, and for generating an alarm signal upon determining that the charging has been terminated due to the control signal not being received.

13. Arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the control unit is configured for determining that the charging has been terminated, and for disconnecting the energy storage system from the external power supply upon determining that the charging has been terminated.

14. Arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the connector elements are constituted by conductive or inductive connector elements associated with the vehicle and the external power supply, respectively.

15. Arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the connector elements comprises a pantograph on the vehicle.

16. Arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the energy storage system comprises a battery unit.