VEHICLE, COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, AND COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 20130124005A1
• Filed: 04/09/2010
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Shinji
• Granted Patent: US 8,768,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/028 Arrangements specific to the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/49 using code conversion at the transmitter; using predistortion; using insertion of idle bits for obtaining a desired frequency spectrum; using three or more amplitude levels ; Baseband coding techniques specific to data transmission systems spectral shaping H04L25/03828
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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

Abstract

A communication device includes a first resistance circuit connected between an output of a signal generating unit and a first terminal and having a resistance value corresponding to a requested operation mode requested to a vehicle. The vehicle includes: a second resistance circuit connected between a ground node fed with a reference potential and a second terminal; and a vehicle control unit for setting an operation mode of the vehicle. The vehicle control unit detects a signal potential of a signal via a first signal extraction node provided on a path connecting the second terminal and a second resistance circuit to each other, and sets the operation mode of the vehicle at the requested operation mode corresponding to the resistance value of the first resistance circuit.

Claims

1. A vehicle communicating with a communication device, the communication device including:

a signal generating unit for generating a signal including a signal potential that is based on a reference potential;

a first terminal for communicating with the vehicle; and

a first resistance circuit connected between an output of said signal generating unit and said first terminal and having a resistance value corresponding to a requested operation mode requested to the vehicle,

the vehicle comprising;

a second terminal connected to said first terminal;

a second resistance circuit connected between a node fed with said reference potential and said second terminal; and

a vehicle control unit for setting an operation mode of the vehicle,

said vehicle control unit detecting the signal potential of said signal via a first signal extraction node provided on a path connecting said second terminal and said second resistance circuit to each other, so as to set the operation mode of the vehicle at said requested operation mode corresponding to the resistance value of said first resistance circuit.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

said second resistance circuit is configured to have a resistance value variable according to a control signal provided from said vehicle control unit, and

after completing setting the operation mode of the vehicle at said requested operation mode, said vehicle control unit changes the resistance value of said second resistance circuit from a first value to a second value different from said first value.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein as said operation mode, the vehicle has a first mode for receiving power from outside, and a second mode for supplying power to outside.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein:

said second resistance circuit is configured to have a resistance value variable according to a control signal provided from said vehicle control unit, and

after completing setting the operation mode of the vehicle at one of said first and second modes, said vehicle control unit changes the resistance value of said second resistance circuit from a first value to a second value different from said first value.

5. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein:

positive amplitude and negative amplitude of the signal output by said signal generating unit are divided by said first resistance circuit and said second resistance circuit, and

after designating one of said first and second modes with a voltage division value for said positive amplitude, said vehicle control unit performs control regarding said first mode with said positive amplitude or performs control regarding said second mode with said negative amplitude.

6. The vehicle according to claim 5, further comprising a rectifying circuit for differentiating the voltage division value for said positive amplitude and the voltage division value for said negative amplitude from each other by changing the resistance value of said first resistance circuit for the positive side and the negative side relative to said reference potential.

7. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein:

the communication device is included in a facility including a system interconnection relay allowing for connection and disconnection to and from a commercial power grid, and

as said second mode, the vehicle has a system interconnection power generation mode for generating power with interconnection with said commercial power grid, and an independent power generation mode for generating power with the facility being disconnected from said commercial power grid.

8. A communication system comprising:

a vehicle; and

a communication device communicating with the vehicle,

the communication device including;

a signal generating unit for generating a signal including a signal potential that is based on a reference potential;

a first terminal for communicating with the vehicle; and

a first resistance circuit connected between an output of said signal generating unit and said first terminal and having a resistance value corresponding to a requested operation mode requested to the vehicle,

the vehicle including;

a second terminal connected to said first terminal;

a second resistance circuit connected between a node fed with said reference potential and said second terminal; and

a vehicle control unit for setting an operation mode of the vehicle,

said vehicle control unit detecting the signal potential of said signal via a first signal extraction node provided on a path connecting said second terminal and said second resistance circuit to each other, so as to set the operation mode of the vehicle at said requested operation mode corresponding to the resistance value of said first resistance circuit.

9. The communication system according to claim 8, wherein:

said second resistance circuit is configured to have a resistance value variable according to a control signal provided from said vehicle control unit, and

after completing setting the operation mode of the vehicle at said requested operation mode, said vehicle control unit changes the resistance value of said second resistance circuit from a first value to a second value different from said first value.

10. The communication system according to claim 8, wherein as said operation mode, the vehicle has a power receiving mode for receiving power from outside, and a power supply mode for supplying power to outside.

11. The communication system according to claim 10, wherein:

said second resistance circuit is configured to have a resistance value variable according to a control signal provided from said vehicle control unit, and

after completing setting the operation mode of the vehicle at one of said power receiving mode and said power supply mode, said vehicle control unit changes the resistance value of said second resistance circuit from a first value to a second value different from said first value.

12. The communication system according to claim 10, wherein:

positive amplitude and negative amplitude of the signal output by said signal generating unit are divided by said first resistance circuit and said second resistance circuit, and

after designating one of said power receiving mode and said power supply mode with a voltage division value for said positive amplitude, said vehicle control unit performs control regarding said power receiving mode with said positive amplitude or performs control regarding said power supply mode with said negative amplitude.

13. The communication system according to claim 10, wherein:

the communication device is included in a facility including a system interconnection relay allowing for connection and disconnection to and from a commercial power grid, and

as said power supply mode, the vehicle has a system interconnection power generation mode for generating power with interconnection with said commercial power grid, and an independent power generation mode for generating power with the facility being disconnected from said commercial power grid.

14. The communication system according to claim 13, wherein the communication device further includes a control unit for switching the resistance value of said first resistance circuit to a value corresponding to said operation mode requested to the vehicle, depending on whether said operation mode requested to the vehicle is said power receiving mode, said system interconnection power generation mode, or said independent power generation mode.

15. A communication device communicating with a vehicle, comprising:

a signal generating unit for generating a signal including a signal potential that is based on a reference potential;

a first terminal for communicating with the vehicle;

a first resistance circuit connected between an output of said signal generating unit and said first terminal and having a resistance value varying according to a first input signal corresponding to an operation mode requested to the vehicle; and

a control unit for providing said first input signal to said first resistance circuit,

the vehicle including;

a second terminal connected to said first terminal;

a second resistance circuit connected between a node fed with said reference potential and said second terminal; and

a vehicle control unit for setting an operation mode of the vehicle,

said vehicle control unit detecting the signal potential of said signal via a first signal extraction node provided on a path connecting said second terminal and said second resistance circuit to each other so as to set the operation mode of the vehicle at the operation mode corresponding to the resistance value of said first resistance circuit, and then changing the resistance value of said second resistance circuit,

said control unit detecting that the resistance value of said second resistance circuit has been changed and starting an operation corresponding to the operation mode requested.