Method for controlling the electric charging process of a group of vehicles in the event of a power reduction

• US 10,780,792 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2019
• Issued: 09/22/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Marcial-Simon, Enrique, Mehlhorn, Rainer, Pfab, Xaver, Stauner, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US16/239,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20190135134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 700 22, 700286, 700295
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• 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: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2639 Energy management, use maximum of cheap power, keep peak load low
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• 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 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]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

In connection with an electric charging process of vehicles electrically connected to a power supply system operated by a power supply system operator, one or more parameters to be adhered to for a charging operation of the vehicles are defined and a user of a vehicle can alter at least one of the parameters via a user interface. A central control system is configured to communicate with the vehicles and with a server of the power supply system operator. A method includes performing a power reduction operation in accordance with a reduction scheme in response to a received reduction command. In the event that, after receiving the reduction command and prior to or during the power reduction operation, the user alters at least one of the one or more parameters such that the charging operation of the energy storage device of the respective vehicle is altered, the method further includes checking, by the central control system, whether a preset criterion has been met. In the event that the preset criterion has been met, the method further includes beginning or continuing the power reduction operation in accordance with the reduction scheme for the respective vehicle while adhering to the one or more altered parameters of the altered charging operation.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the electric charging process of a plurality of vehicles which are electrically connected to a power supply system of a power supply system operator, wherein each of the plurality of vehicles draws current from the power supply system to charge a vehicle-side energy storage device of a corresponding one of the plurality of vehicles, wherein one or more parameters to be adhered to for a charging operation of the energy storage devices of the plurality of vehicles are defined, and a user of a respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles can alter at least one of the one or more parameters via a user interface, wherein a central control system is configured to communicate with the plurality of vehicles and with a server of the power supply system operator, wherein

performing, by the central control system, a power reduction operation in accordance with a reduction scheme in response to a received reduction command;

in the event that, after receiving the reduction command and prior to or during the power reduction operation, the user alters at least one of the one or more parameters such that the charging operation of the energy storage device of the respective vehicle is altered, the method further comprising checking, by the central control system, whether a preset criterion has been met; and

in the event that the preset criterion has been met, the method further comprises beginning or continuing the power reduction operation in accordance with the reduction scheme for the respective vehicle while adhering to the one or more altered parameters of the altered charging operation.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises at least one of:

sending the reduction command from the server of the power supply system operator, and defining a power amount by which the power uptake of the plurality of vehicles from the power supply system needs to be decreased;

determining, by the central control system, the reduction scheme based on the power amount of the reduction command, wherein a temporary reduction in the charging power of the charging operation of the energy storage device of the respective vehicle is specified such that the decrease in the power uptake of the plurality of vehicles by the power amount in accordance with the received reduction command is achieved; and

/or

permitting participation in the power reduction operation for the respective vehicle, and a deviation from the one or more parameters of the charging operation of the respective vehicle is allowed for the power reduction operation.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the preset criterion has been met when adhering to the one or more altered parameters does not shorten the temporary reduction in the charging power of the charging operation of the energy storage device of the respective vehicle in accordance with the reduction scheme.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the event that the preset criterion has not been met, the method further comprises determining a new reduction scheme by the central control system based on the power amount of the reduction command without participation of the respective vehicle, whereupon the power reduction operation in accordance with the new reduction scheme is begun by the central control system.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters of the charging operation of the energy storage device of the respective vehicle which is alterable by the user includes one or more of the following parameters:

a time window in which the energy storage device of the respective vehicle needs to be charged;

a power value with which the energy storage device of the respective vehicle needs to be charged and/or a maximum power value with which the energy storage device of the respective one of the plurality of vehicles is intended to be maximally charged;

a departure time of the respective vehicle, wherein a preset setpoint state of charge of the energy storage device of the respective vehicle needs to be achieved at the departure time;

information relating to preconditioning which defines a quantity of electrical energy required by the respective vehicle before a departure time is reached;

information in accordance with which charging of the energy storage device of the respective vehicle is intended to be begun immediately on connection of the vehicle to the power supply system and continued until a setpoint state of charge is achieved; and

/or

a setpoint state of charge which needs to be achieved by a departure time of the respective vehicle or up to which the respective vehicle charges maximally without specification of a departure time.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the event that the preset criterion has been met, the method further comprises ensuring that the power reduction operation in accordance with the reduction scheme with the participation of the respective vehicle in the power reduction operation, while adhering to the one or more altered parameter of the altered charging operation is no longer manipulated by the central control system such that the altered charging operation is altered again.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central control system, when performing a check to ascertain whether the preset criterion has been met, takes into consideration a buffer, which assumes a charging efficiency of the energy storage device of the respective vehicle which has been decreased in comparison with an expected charging efficiency in order to prevent the decrease in the power uptake of the plurality of vehicles in accordance with the reduction scheme with the participation of the respective vehicle in the power reduction operation, while adhering to the one or more altered parameter of the altered charging operation, being lower than the power amount in accordance with the received reduction command.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a stationary energy storage device system is connected to the power supply system and is controlled by the central control system such that, in the event that the decrease in the power uptake of the plurality of vehicles by the power amount in accordance with the reduction command cannot be achieved exclusively by a temporary reduction in the charging power of the charging operation of the energy storage device of respective vehicles in the plurality of vehicles, the power uptake of the stationary energy storage device system from the power supply system is lowered or the power output of the stationary energy storage device system to the power supply system is increased, such that the decrease in the power uptake of the plurality of vehicles which is achieved by a temporary reduction in the charging power of the charging operation of the energy storage device of respective vehicles in the plurality of vehicles plus the amount by which the power uptake of the stationary energy storage device system is lowered or by which the power output of the stationary energy storage device system is increased corresponds to the power amount in accordance with the reduction command.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user interface by which the user of the respective vehicle can alter at least some of the one or more parameters of the charging operation is part of a mobile device or is integrated into the respective vehicle.

10. A central control system configured to control the electric charging process of a plurality of vehicles which are electrically connected to a power supply system of a power supply system operator, wherein each of the plurality of vehicles draws current for charging a vehicle-side energy storage device of a corresponding one of the plurality of vehicles, wherein one or more parameters to be adhered to for a charging operation of the energy storage device of the plurality of vehicles are defined, and a user of a respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles can alter at least one of the one or more parameters via a user interface, wherein the central control system is configured to communicate with the plurality of vehicles and with a server of the power supply system operator, wherein the central control system is further configured to:

perform a power reduction operation in accordance with a reduction scheme in response to a received reduction command;

in the event that, after receiving the reduction command and prior to or during the power reduction operation, the user alters at least one of the one or more parameters such that the charging operation of the energy storage device of the respective vehicle is altered, check whether a preset criterion has been met; and

in the event that the preset criterion has been met, begin or continue the power reduction operation in accordance with the reduction scheme for the respective vehicle while adhering to the one or more altered parameter of the altered charging operation.

11. The central control system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the preset criterion has been met when adhering to the one or more altered parameters does not shorten the temporary reduction in the charging power of the charging operation of the energy storage device of the respective vehicle in accordance with the reduction scheme.

12. The central control system as claimed in claim 10, wherein in the event that the preset criterion has not been met, the central control system is further configured to determine a new reduction scheme by the central control system based on the power amount of the reduction command without participation of the respective vehicle, whereupon the power reduction operation in accordance with the new reduction scheme is begun by the central control system.

13. The central control system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the one or more parameters of the charging operation of the energy storage device of the respective vehicle which is alterable by the user includes one or more of the following parameters:

a time window in which the energy storage device of the respective vehicle needs to be charged;

a power value with which the energy storage device of the respective vehicle needs to be charged and/or a maximum power value with which the energy storage device of the respective one of the plurality of vehicles is intended to be maximally charged;

a departure time of the respective vehicle, wherein a preset setpoint state of charge of the energy storage device of the respective vehicle needs to be achieved at the departure time;

information relating to preconditioning which defines a quantity of electrical energy required by the respective vehicle before a departure time is reached;

information in accordance with which charging of the energy storage device of the respective vehicle is intended to be begun immediately on connection of the vehicle to the power supply system and continued until a setpoint state of charge is achieved; and

/or

a setpoint state of charge which needs to be achieved by a departure time of the respective vehicle or up to which the respective vehicle charges maximally without specification of a departure time.

14. The central control system as claimed in claim 10, wherein in the event that the preset criterion has been met, the central control system is further configured to ensure that the power reduction operation in accordance with the reduction scheme with the participation of the respective vehicle in the power reduction operation, while adhering to the one or more altered parameter of the altered charging operation is no longer manipulated by the central control system such that the altered charging operation is altered again.

15. The central control system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the central control system, when performing a check to ascertain whether the preset criterion has been met, takes into consideration a buffer, which assumes a charging efficiency of the energy storage device of the respective vehicle which has been decreased in comparison with an expected charging efficiency in order to prevent the decrease in the power uptake of the plurality of vehicles in accordance with the reduction scheme with the participation of the respective vehicle in the power reduction operation, while adhering to the one or more altered parameter of the altered charging operation, being lower than the power amount in accordance with the received reduction command.

16. The central control system as claimed in claim 10, wherein a stationary energy storage device system is connected to the power supply system and is controlled by the central control system such that, in the event that the decrease in the power uptake of the plurality of vehicles by the power amount in accordance with the reduction command cannot be achieved exclusively by a temporary reduction in the charging power of the charging operation of the energy storage device of respective vehicles in the plurality of vehicles, the power uptake of the stationary energy storage device system from the power supply system is lowered or the power output of the stationary energy storage device system to the power supply system is increased, such that the decrease in the power uptake of the plurality of vehicles which is achieved by a temporary reduction in the charging power of the charging operation of the energy storage device of respective vehicles in the plurality of vehicles plus the amount by which the power uptake of the stationary energy storage device system is lowered or by which the power output of the stationary energy storage device system is increased corresponds to the power amount in accordance with the reduction command.

17. The central control system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the user interface by which the user of the respective vehicle can alter at least some of the one or more parameters of the charging operation is part of a mobile device or is integrated into the respective vehicle.