METHOD FOR CHARGING MULTIPLE RECHARGEABLE ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20120019215A1
• Filed: 08/10/2011
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Minit Charger, LLC
• Original Assignee: Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (Intertek Group PLC)
• Inventors: Wenger, Craig K., Karner, Donald B., Beauregard, Garrett
• Application Number:
  US13/207,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20120019215A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/149
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/32 Waterborne vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/36 Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/30 using propulsion power stored mechanically, e.g. in fly-wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/60 Monitoring or controlling charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• 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

Some embodiments include a method for charging multiple rechargeable energy storage systems. Other embodiments or related systems and methods are disclosed.

Claims

1. ) A method for charging multiple rechargeable energy storage systems, the method comprising:

determining current throughputs of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems; and

if a first current throughput of a first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems is greater than one or more current throughputs corresponding to one or more other ones of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems, charging the first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems at the first current throughput until a first predetermined condition is met.

2. ) The method of claim 1 wherein:

the first predetermined condition comprises at least one of;

a predetermined interval of time elapses;

the first current throughput declines by a predetermined percentage, the percentage being greater than or equal to approximately five percent and less than or equal to approximately twenty percent;

the first current throughput declines by a predetermined amount;

the first current throughput approximately equals each current throughput of the other current throughputs;

or

another rechargeable energy storage system is added to the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems.

3. ) The method of claim 2 wherein:

the predetermined interval of time is greater than or equal to approximately five minutes and less than or equal to approximately fifteen minutes.

4. ) The method of claim 1 further comprising:

after the first predetermined condition is met, determining second current throughputs of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems; and

after determining the second current throughputs of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems, if a second current throughput of a second one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems is greater than one or more second current throughputs corresponding to second one or more other ones of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems, charging the second one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems at the second current throughput until a second predetermined condition is met,

wherein;

the second one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems comprises the first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems if the first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems comprises the second current throughput and, otherwise, the second one or more other ones of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems comprise the first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems.

5. ) The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an assignment of the first predetermined condition.

6. ) The method of claim 1 wherein:

determining the current throughputs of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems comprises comparing the current throughputs to each other to determine a greatest current throughput of the current throughputs.

7. ) The method of claim 1 wherein:

determining the current throughputs of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems comprises communicating with management systems of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems to retrieve the current throughputs of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems.

8. ) The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if highest ones of the current throughputs are approximately equal to each other and if the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems remain able to be charged, charging the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems according to an other charge protocol.

9. ) The method of claim 8 wherein:

charging the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems according to the other charge protocol comprises;

determining states of charge of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems; and

if a state of charge of any one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems is greater than one or more states of charge of any one or more other ones of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems, charging the any one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems until an other predetermined condition is met.

10. ) The method of claim 9 wherein:

determining the states of charge of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems comprises communicating with management systems of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems to retrieve the states of charge of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems.

11. ) The method of claim 8 wherein:

charging the first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems at the first current throughput until the first predetermined condition is met occurs before charging the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems according to the other charge protocol if the current throughputs are equal and the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems remain able to be charged.

12. ) The method of claim 1 wherein:

charging the first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems at the first current throughput until the first predetermined condition is met comprises charging the first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems at the first current throughput until the first predetermined condition is met if the first current throughput is no less than any other current throughputs of the current throughputs of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems.

13. ) The method of claim 1 wherein:

each rechargeable energy storage system of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems is configured to provide electricity to an electric vehicle.

14. ) A control system for charging multiple rechargeable energy storage systems, the control system comprising:

a communication module configured to determine current throughputs of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems; and

a control module configured to communicate with the communication module and a charge system and configured to control the charge system such that, if the first current throughput of the first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems is greater than one or more current throughputs of one or more other ones of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems, the charge system charges a first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems at a first current throughput until a first predetermined condition is met.

15. ) The control system of claim 14 wherein:

the first predetermined condition comprises at least one of;

a predetermined interval of time elapses;

the first current throughput declines by a predetermined percentage, the percentage being greater than or equal to approximately five percent and less than or equal to approximately twenty percent;

the first current throughput declines by a predetermined amount;

the first current throughput approximately equals each current throughput of the other current throughputs;

or

another rechargeable energy storage system is added to the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems.

16. ) The control system of claim 15 wherein:

the predetermined interval of time is greater than or equal to approximately five minutes and less than or equal to approximately fifteen minutes.

17. ) The control system of claim 14 wherein:

the communication module is further configured to determine second current throughputs of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems after the first predetermined condition is met;

the control module is configured to control the charge system such that, if a second current throughput of a second one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems is greater than one or more second current throughputs corresponding to second one or more other ones of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems, the charge system charges the second one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems at the second current throughput until a second predetermined condition is met; and

the second one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems comprises the first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems if the first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems comprises the second current throughput and, otherwise, the second one or more other ones of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems comprise the first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems.

18. ) The control system of claim 14 wherein at least one of:

the communication module is configured to receive an assignment of the first predetermined condition;

the communication module is configured to compare the current throughputs to determine a greatest current throughput of the current throughputs;

or

the communication module is configured to communicate with management systems of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems to retrieve the current throughputs of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems in order to determine the current throughputs of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems.

19. ) The control system of claim 14 wherein:

the control module is configured to control the charge system such that, if highest ones of the current throughputs are approximately equal to each other and if the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems remain able to be charged, the charge system charges the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems according to an other charge protocol.

20. ) The control system of claim 19 wherein:

the communication module is configured to determine states of charge of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems when the control module controls the charge system according to the other charge protocol; and

the control module is configured to control the charge system such that, if a state of charge of any one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems is greater than one or more states of charge corresponding to any one or more other ones of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems, the charge system charges the any one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems until an other predetermined condition is met, when the control module controls the charge system according to the other charge protocol.

21. ) The control system of claim 16 wherein:

the control module is configured to control a charge system such that, before the control module controls the charge system according to the other charge protocol, the charge system charges the first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems at the first current throughput until the first predetermined condition is met.

22. ) The control system of claim 14 wherein at least one of:

the control system comprises the charge system;

the charge system comprises the control module;

the control system comprises a control computer system;

or

the control system is configured to communicate with a central computer system.

23. ) The method of claim 14 wherein:

each rechargeable energy storage system of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems is configured to provide electricity to an electric vehicle.

24. ) A method of providing a control system for charging multiple rechargeable energy storage systems, the method comprising:

providing a communication module configured to determine current throughputs of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems; and

providing a control module configured to communicate with the communication module and a charge system and configured to control the charge system such that, if a first current throughput of a first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems is greater than one or more current throughputs of one or more other ones of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems, the charge system charges the first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems at the first current throughput until a first predetermined condition is met.

25. ) The method of claim 24 wherein:

the first predetermined condition comprises at least one of;

a predetermined interval of time elapses;

the first current throughput declines by a predetermined percentage, the percentage being greater than or equal to approximately five percent and less than or equal to approximately twenty percent;

the first current throughput declines by a predetermined amount;

the first current throughput approximately equals each current throughput of the other current throughputs;

or

another rechargeable energy storage system is added to the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems.

26. ) The method of claim 25 wherein:

the interval of time is greater than or equal to approximately five minutes and less than or equal to approximately fifteen minutes.

27. ) The method of claim 26 wherein:

the communication module is further configured to determine second current throughputs of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems after the first predetermined condition is met; and

the control module is configured to control the charge system such that, if a second current throughput of a second one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems is greater than one or more second current throughputs corresponding to second one or more other ones of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems, the charge system charges the second one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems at the second current throughput until a second predetermined condition is met; and

the second one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems comprises the first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems if the first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems comprises the second current throughput and, otherwise, the second one or more other ones of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems comprise the first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems.

28. ) The method of claim 26 wherein at least one of:

the communication module is configured to receive an assignment of the first predetermined condition;

the communication module is configured to compare the current throughputs to determine a greatest current throughput of the current throughputs;

or

the communication module is configured to communicate with management systems of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems to retrieve the current throughputs of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems in order to determine the current throughputs of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems.

29. ) The method of claim 24 wherein:

the control module is configured to control the charge system such that, if highest ones of the current throughputs are approximately equal to each other and the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems remain able to be charged, the charge system charges the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems according to another charge protocol.

30. ) The method of claim 29 wherein:

the communication module is configured to determine states of charge of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems when the control module controls the charge system according to the other charge protocol; and

the control module is configured to control the charge system such that, if a state of charge of any one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems is greater than one or more states of charge corresponding to any one or more other ones of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems, the charge system charges the only one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems until an other predetermined condition is met, when the control module controls the charge system according to the other charge protocol.

31. ) The method of claim 24 wherein:

the control module is configured to control a charge system such that, before the control module controls the charge system according to the other charge protocol, the charge system charges the first one of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems at the first current throughput until the first predetermined condition is met.

32. ) The method of claim 24 further comprising at least one of:

providing the charge system;

or

providing a control computer system, wherein the control system comprises the control computer system.

33. ) The method of claim 24 wherein at least one of:

each rechargeable energy storage system of the multiple rechargeable energy storage systems is configured to provide electricity to an electric vehicle;

or

the control system is configured to communicate with a central computer system.