Method and apparatus for testing a control pilot line

• US 9,958,489 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2014
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Stichowski, Torsten, Bruhnke, Benny
• Primary Examiner(s): Astacio-Oquendo, Giovanni
• Application Number:
  US14/220,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20140285209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: 324503, 324500, 324510, 324511, 320109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/22 by presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/006 on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/52 Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/54 Testing for continuity
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or conductors testing of electric windings G01R31/72
• 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

Abstract

A method for checking a control pilot, referred to below as CP, line of a charging socket of an electrically drivable transportation means. The method includes closing the charging socket, as a result of which an electrical, in particular galvanic, connection is closed between the CP line and a line of the charging socket providing electrical energy, and checking a signal received via the CP line in response to the closing. Also disclosed is a corresponding apparatus.

Claims

1. A method for checking a control pilot (CP) line of a charging socket of an electrically drivable vehicle, the method comprising:

closing the charging socket, as a result of which a galvanic connection is closed between the CP line and a line of the charging socket which provides a signal to the CP line; and

checking the signal received via the CP line in response to the closing using an evaluation unit,

wherein closing the charging socket prevents contact with charging infrastructure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the closing of the charging socket is performed by an electrical conductor in a closure element for the charging socket and/or a microswitch, which responds to a state of the closure element for the charging socket.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the closure element is designed to produce a plug-type connection or is configured pivotably.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising signaling to a user of the electrically drivable vehicle when the received signal falls below or exceeds a predefined threshold value.

5. An apparatus for checking a control pilot (CP) line of a charging socket of an electrically drivable vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

at least part of a CP line;

a line which provides electrical energy and ends in the charging socket; and

an evaluation unit,

wherein the evaluation unit is designed to check a signal of the line which provides electrical energy which is received via the CP line in the evaluation unit when the charging socket is closed,

wherein when the charging socket is closed it is prevented from contacting charging infrastructure, and

wherein the line which provides electrical energy is a plug present (PP) signal line.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a closure element for the charging socket, wherein the closure element galvanically connects the CP line and the line providing electrical energy to one another in a state in which said closure element is closing the charging socket.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the closure element comprises an electrical conductor and/or a microswitch, which responds to a state of the closure element.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the evaluation unit is designed to output signaling to a user of the electrically drivable vehicle, when the received signal falls below or exceeds a predefined threshold value.

9. An electrically drivable vehicle comprising an apparatus for checking a control pilot (CP) line of a charging socket of the electrically drivable vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

at least part of the CP line;

a line which provides electrical energy and ends in the charging socket; and

an evaluation unit,

wherein the evaluation unit is designed to check a signal of the line providing electrical energy which is received via the CP line when the charging socket is closed, and

wherein when the charging socket is closed it is prevented from contacting charging infrastructure.