Control method of swappable battery pack set applied to electric vehicle

• US 10,399,447 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2016
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chih-Chan Ger
• Original Assignee: Chih-Chan Ger
• Inventors: Ger, Chih-Chan
• Primary Examiner(s): Siek, Vuthe
• Application Number:
  US15/542,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20170355274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• 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 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• 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

Abstract

A control method for a swappable battery pack set of electric vehicles (EVs), wherein each of the EVs has a main battery pack set and at least a swappable battery pack set simultaneously. The control method includes the following process of uninstalling the swappable battery pack set from a first EV, before charging the swappable battery pack set; executing a charge unlocking process, before charging the swappable battery pack set; executing a charge locking process, after charging the swappable battery pack set; and installing the swappable battery pack set to a second EV after executing the charge locking process.

Claims

1. A control method for a swappable battery pack set of electric vehicles (EVs), wherein each of the EVs has a main battery pack set and at least one swappable battery pack set, which is integrated with a switched-mode DC-to-DC power converter, simultaneously, comprising:

uninstalling the swappable battery pack set from a first EV;

executing a charge unlocking process to the swappable battery pack set to allow the change of a using restriction;

charging the swappable battery pack set after executing the charge unlocking process;

inputting the using restriction to a control unit of the swappable battery pack set;

executing a charge locking process to the swappable battery pack set to disable the change of the using restriction; and

installing the swappable battery pack set into a second EV,

wherein the swappable battery pack set being discharged to the main battery pack set of the second EV through the switched-mode DC-to-DC power converter or charged from the second EV through the switched-mode DC-to-DC power converter according to the using restriction.

2. The control method defined in claim 1, wherein the using restriction comprises a charging time restriction, a charging power restriction or a charging count restriction.

3. The control method defined in claim 1, wherein when the swappable battery pack set is charged before the charge unlocking process, the processes comprise the following:

transmitting a feedback signal to the control unit by a feedback unit;

comparing the using restriction with the feedback signal by the control unit; and

generating an interrupt signal by the control unit if the feedback signal satisfies the using restriction.

4. The control method defined in claim 3, wherein the interrupt signal is transmitted to a switched-mode DC-to-DC power converter.

5. The control method defined in claim 1, wherein when the swappable battery pack is charged before the charge unlocking Process, the processes comprise the following:

comparing a clock signal with the using restriction by the control unit; and

generating an interruptive signal by the control unit if the clock signal satisfies the using restriction.

6. The control method defined in claim 5, wherein the interrupt signal is transmitted to the switched-mode DC-to-DC power converter.

7. The control method defined in claim 1, wherein following actions are included after the swappable battery pack set is installed to the second EV, the processes comprise the following:

transmitting the using restriction to the EV from the swappable battery pack set; and

providing an electrical power to the EV according to the using restriction by the swappable battery pack set.

8. The control method defined in claim 1, further comprises:

restricting a charging and discharging current through the switched-mode DC-to-DC power converter of the swappable battery pack set according to a predetermined performance restriction.

9. The control method defined in claim 8, wherein the swappable battery pack set is charged and discharged according to the predetermined performance-restriction, through the switched-mode DC-to-DC power converter integrated in the swappable battery pack set.

10. The control method defined in claim 1, wherein the charge locking process or the charging unlocking process is executed by a mechanical structure.

11. The control method defined in claim 1, wherein the charge locking process or the charging unlocking process is executed by the method of a software verification and/or a hardware verification.