Method for controlling electrical charging of a group of vehicles

• US 10,744,895 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2019
• Issued: 08/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Marcial-Simon, Enrique, Mehlhorn, Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhanu, Samuel
• Application Number:
  US16/269,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20190168633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 320109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/14 by input of vehicle departure time
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/64 Optimising energy costs, e.g. responding to electricity rates
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• 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: Y04S 10/126 the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]

Abstract

A method controls electrical charging of a group of vehicles, wherein the respective vehicles are connected to a power supply system for charging a vehicle energy store for driving the particular vehicle, wherein a central control system communicates with the respective vehicles in the group and with a server belonging to the power supply system operator. On the basis of a received charging command from the server which specifies a charging period, the central control system selects a number of vehicles from the group which are intended to be charged. A charging time window, a departure time and a desired state of charge of the vehicle energy store at the departure time are each stipulated in advance for one or more specific vehicles of the number of vehicles, wherein the duration of the charging operation until the desired state of charge is reached is estimated for a particular specific vehicle and the particular specific vehicle distributes the charging operation, according to a cost function which stipulates different cost values for different time periods before the departure time, to the time periods in ascending order of the cost values. The cost function for a particular specific vehicle is stipulated by the central control system on the basis of first to seventh cost values such that charging is preferably carried out in the charging time window and the charging period and at a later time.

Claims

1. A method for controlling electrical charging of a group of vehicles, wherein respective vehicles are connected to an electricity grid for charging a vehicle-based energy store for driving the respective vehicle, wherein a central control system communicatable with the respective vehicles of the group and with a server of the electricity grid operator, wherein the central control system selects, based on a received charging command originating from the server of the electricity grid operator and specifying a charging time period, a number of vehicles from the group that are intended to charge their vehicle-based energy stores by way of the electricity grid, wherein

a charging time window, a departure time and a desired state of charge of the vehicle-based energy store at the departure time are respectively stipulated in advance for one or more specific vehicles of the number of vehicles, wherein, for a respective specific vehicle, the duration of the charging operation until the desired state of charge is reached is estimated and the respective specific vehicle distributes the charging operation to the periods of time in ascending order of the cost values (k1, . . . , k7) in accordance with a cost function that stipulates different cost values (k1, . . . , k7) for different periods of time until the departure time, wherein the cost function for a respective specific vehicle is stipulated by the central control system as follows:

a) if the charging time period or a part of the charging time period is within the charging time window, a first cost value (k1) is assigned to the charging time period or to the part of the charging time period within the charging time window;

b) if the charging time window or a part of the charging time window temporally succeeds the end of the charging time period, a second cost value (k2), which is higher than the first cost value (k1) if a first cost value (k1) is assigned, is assigned to the charging time window or to the part of the charging time window after the end of the charging time period;

c) if the charging time window or a part of the charging time window temporally precedes the start of the charging time period, a third cost value (k3), which is higher than all of the assigned cost values from the set consisting of the first and second cost value (k1, k2), is assigned to the charging time window or to the part of the charging time window before the start of the charging time period;

d) if the charging time period or a part of the charging time period temporally succeeds the charging time window, a fourth cost value (k4), which is higher than all of the assigned cost values from the set consisting of the first to third cost value (k1, k2, k3), is assigned to the charging time period or to the part of the charging time period after the charging time window;

e) if the charging time period or a part of the charging time period temporally precedes the charging time window, a fifth cost value (k5), which is higher than all of the assigned cost values from the set consisting of the first to fourth cost value (k1, . . . , k4), is assigned to the charging time period or to the part of the charging time period before the charging time window;

f) a sixth cost value (k6), which is higher than all of the assigned cost values from the set consisting of the first to fifth cost value (k1, . . . , k5), is assigned to each period of time that is neither within the charging time period nor within the charging time window and temporally succeeds the end of the charging time period;

g) a seventh cost value (k7), which is higher than all of the assigned cost values from the set consisting of the first to sixth cost value (k1, . . . , k6), is assigned to each period of time that is neither within the charging time period nor within the charging time window and temporally precedes the start of the charging time period.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the cost values (k1, . . . , k7) are integer values.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein

all of the first to seventh cost values (k1, . . . , k7) are fixedly prescribed independently of which of said cost values are assigned to periods of time.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the assigned first to seventh cost values (k1, . . . , k7) are stipulated depending on which of the first to seventh cost values are assigned to periods of time.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

in case the departure time is within the charging time window of the respective specific vehicle, the charging time window is shortened so that the departure time coincides with the end of the charging time window.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

in case the time of the stipulation of the cost function is after the start of the charging time window, the charging time window is shortened in such a way that the start thereof coincides with said time.

7. A central control system for controlling electrical charging of a group of vehicles, wherein the respective vehicles are connected to an electricity grid for charging a vehicle-based energy store for driving the respective vehicle, wherein the central control system is communicatable with the respective vehicles of the group and with a server of the electricity grid operator, wherein the central control system is configured to select, based on a received charging command originating from the server of the electricity grid operator and specifying a charging time period, a number of vehicles from the group that are intended to charge their vehicle-based energy stores by way of the electricity grid, wherein

a charging time window, a departure time and a desired state of charge of the vehicle-based energy store at the departure time are respectively stipulated in advance for one or more specific vehicles of the number of vehicles, wherein, for a respective specific vehicle, there is an estimated duration of the charging operation and the respective specific vehicle distributes the charging operation to the periods of time in ascending order of the cost values in accordance with a cost function that stipulates different cost values for different periods of time until the departure time, wherein the control system is configured to carry out a method in which the cost function for a respective specific vehicle is stipulated by the central control system as follows:

a) if the charging time period or a part of the charging time period is within the charging time window, a first cost value is assigned to the charging time period or to the part of the charging time period within the charging time window;

b) if the charging time window or a part of the charging time window temporally succeeds the end of the charging time period, a second cost value, which is higher than the first cost value if a first cost value is assigned, is assigned to the charging time window or to the part of the charging time window after the end of the charging time period;

c) if the charging time window or a part of the charging time window temporally precedes the start of the charging time period, a third cost value, which is higher than all of the assigned cost values from the set consisting of the first and second cost value, is assigned to the charging time window or to the part of the charging time window before the start of the charging time period;

d) if the charging time period or a part of the charging time period temporally succeeds the charging time window, a fourth cost value, which is higher than all of the assigned cost values from the set consisting of the first to third cost value, is assigned to the charging time period or to the part of the charging time period temporally after the charging time window;

e) if the charging time period or a part of the charging time period temporally precedes the charging time window, a fifth cost value, which is higher than all of the assigned cost values from the set consisting of the first to fourth cost value, is assigned to the charging time period or to the part of the charging time period before the charging time window;

f) a sixth cost value, which is higher than all of the assigned cost values from the set consisting of the first to fifth cost value, is assigned to each period of time that is neither within the charging time period nor within the charging time window and temporally succeeds the end of the charging time period;

g) a seventh cost value, which is higher than all of the assigned cost values from the set consisting of the first to sixth cost value, is assigned to each period of time that is neither within the charging time period nor within the charging time window and temporally precedes the start of the charging time period.

8. The control system as claimed in claim 7, wherein

the cost values (k1, . . . , k7) are integer values.

9. The control system as claimed in claim 7, wherein

all of the first to seventh cost values (k1, . . . , k7) are fixedly prescribed independently of which of said cost values are assigned to periods of time.

10. The control system as claimed in claim 7, wherein

the assigned first to seventh cost values (k1, . . . , k7) are stipulated depending on which of the first to seventh cost values are assigned to periods of time.

11. The control system as claimed in claim 7, wherein

in case the departure time is within the charging time window of the respective specific vehicle, the charging time window is shortened so that the departure time coincides with the end of the charging time window.

12. The control system as claimed in claim 7, wherein

in case the time of the stipulation of the cost function is after the start of the charging time window, the charging time window is shortened in such a way that the start thereof coincides with said time.