Electric vehicle equipment for grid-integrated vehicles

• US 8,509,976 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2010
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NUVVE Corporation
• Original Assignee: University of Delaware
• Inventors: Kempton, Willett
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAIGE, TYLER D
• Application Number:
  US12/887,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20110202217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109, 340/988, 903/907, 903/908, 701/22
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/56 Temperature prediction, e.g. for pre-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• 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 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/22 Payment schemes or models
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/008 involving trading of energy or energy transmission rights
• 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: H02J 3/38 : Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• 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 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 : Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 : Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for interfacing an electric vehicle with an electric power grid are disclosed. An exemplary apparatus may include a station communication port for interfacing with electric vehicle station equipment (EVSE), a vehicle communication port for interfacing with a vehicle management system (VMS), and a processor coupled to the station communication port and the vehicle communication port to establish communication with the EVSE via the station communication port, receive EVSE attributes from the EVSE, and issue commands to the VMS to manage power flow between the electric vehicle and the EVSE based on the EVSE attributes. An electric vehicle may interface with the grid by establishing communication with the EVSE, receiving the EVSE attributes, and managing power flow between the EVE and the grid based on the EVSE attributes.

Claims

1. A method for interfacing an electric vehicle with an electric power grid, the method comprising:

establishing, by electric vehicle equipment (EVE) of the electric vehicle, communication with electric vehicle station equipment (EVSE) electrically coupled to the power grid, the EVSE having EVSE attributes;

receiving, by the EVE, the EVSE attributes;

receiving, by the EVE, requests from an aggregation server; and

managing, by the EVE, a timing, a rate and a direction of power flow between the EVE and the electric power grid through the EVSE based on operational parameters determined from the EVSE attributes and the request from the aggregation server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle includes a battery and wherein the method further comprises:

determining charge parameters associated with the battery; and

wherein the managing step includes managing the timing, the rate and the direction of the power flow further based on the determined charge parameters.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining electric grid location based on EVSE attributes, and

looking up or inferring electric grid attributes and limits based on the electric grid location,

wherein the managing step includes managing the timing, the rate and the direction of the power flow further based on the determined electric grid location, and including the electric grid attributes and limits.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining GPS location; and

inferring EVSE charge attributes and grid location based on the GPS location, or looking them up among known electrical service locations,

wherein the managing step includes managing the timing, the rate and the direction of the power flow further based on the determined GPS location.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the determined charge parameters include battery energy and battery headway.

6. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising

sending operational parameters for the EVE to the aggregation server.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing a driving schedule in a memory of the EVE; and

synchronize, by the EVE, the driving schedule with a remote driving schedule.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining available capacity of the EVE; and

reporting the determined available capacity to the aggregation server.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising

receiving a dispatch signal;

and

wherein the managing step is further based on the received dispatch signal.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising

measuring power flow;

and

reporting the measured power flow to the aggregation server.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the EVSE is electrically connected to a building or other electricity use location, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining if grid power is lost; and

supplying power to the EVSE if grid power is lost.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining, by the EVE, if the EVSE is authorized to receive power during grid power loss and determining, by the EVE, if the building associated with the EVSE is isolated from the grid prior to supplying power to the EVSE,

wherein the supply step supplies power only if the EVSE is authorized and the building electrically connected to the EVSE is isolated from the grid.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises:

predicting trips for the electric vehicle;

determining effect on the battery of reaching and sustaining various levels of charge; and

managing the timing and the rate of charging and discharging of the battery so as to be sufficient for the electric vehicle to carry out the predicted trips, while minimizing wear on the battery, so as to prolong battery life.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

predicting trips for the electric vehicle;

determining the current temperature; and

preheating or precooling at least a portion of the electric vehicle including at least one of a passenger compartment, a thermal storage device, and a battery based on the predicted trips and the current temperature.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the preheating or precooling is further based on the expected weather for the predicted trips.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises:

attempting communication to the aggregation server using a first direct communication channel;

attempting communication to the aggregation server using at least one other direct communication channel to the aggregation server in response to a failed attempt using the first direct communication channel;

attempting communication to the aggregation server via another EVE communicating with the aggregation server in response to a failed attempt using the at least one other direct communication channel; and

entering an autonomous mode that controls the timing and the rate of charge and discharge of the battery based on predicted trips, battery state of charge, time of day, and a locally detected need for grid services.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

recording transactions in the autonomous mode; and

transmitting the recorded transactions to the aggregation server when communication is established with the aggregation server.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

determining when the EVE is connected for electric power flow to another EVE of another electrical vehicle, and

simulating an EVSE, so that the other EVE will act as if it is connected to an EVSE such that the other electric vehicle will charge and the electric vehicle will provide electricity only when the other electric vehicle is connected.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein the EVE, the EVSE, and the aggregator together constitute a multi-agent system, in which all three agents communicate in all directions with each other, each agent shares at least a portion of the information unique to it, each of the three agents makes control decisions based on both shared information and information unique to the agent making the control decision, and in which any one of these three agents can take over some functions if any others are non-operating or not communicating.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein the EVE and EVSE provide grid at least one of the following grid services:

local building services, distribution system services, transmission and generation system support, and renewable energy support.

19. An electric vehicle equipment (EVE) apparatus of an electric vehicle for interfacing the electric vehicle with an electric power grid, the EVE comprising:

at least one station communication port for interfacing with electric vehicle station equipment (EVSE) that is electrically coupled to the power grid;

at least one vehicle communication port for interfacing with a vehicle management system (VMS);

a processor coupled to the at least one station communication port and the at least one vehicle communication port, the processor configured to establish communication with the EVSE via the at least one station communication port, receive EVSE attributes from the EVSE, received requests from an aggregation server, and issue commands to the VMS to manage a timing, a rate and a direction of power flow between the EVE and the electric power grid through the EVSE based on operational parameters determined from the EVSE attributes and the requests from the aggregation server.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to establish communication with the aggregation server through the station communication port.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

at least one other communication port to establish a backup communication port to the aggregator.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the electric vehicle includes a battery and power management system and wherein the processor is further configured to determine charge parameters associated with the electric vehicle battery and power management system and to manage the timing, the rate and the direction of the power flow to the grid further based on the electric vehicle charge parameters.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the processor is configured to manage the power flow further based on grid location and other attributes as inferred or looked up from GPS data.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to manage the power flow further based on grid location.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the determined charge parameters include battery energy and battery headway.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to send attributes for the EVE to the aggregation server though the station communication port or the backup communication port.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:

a memory coupled to the processor; and

wherein the processor is configured to store a driving schedule in the memory and synchronize the driving schedule with a remote driving schedule.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the processor is configured to receive a dispatch signal and to control power flow based on the received dispatch signal.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the processor is configured to measure power flow and to report the measured power flow to the aggregation server.

30. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the EVSE is associated with a building and wherein the processor is configured to determine if grid power is lost and to supply power to the building, via the EVSE, if grid power is lost.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the processor is configured to use EVSE attributes to determine whether the building has administrative approval to have power supplied via the EVSE, and to determine whether appropriate grid isolation safety equipment is correctly switched to safely provide power.

32. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to determine if communication to the aggregation server is not established or is lost and to enter an autonomous control mode in response to loss of communication with the aggregation server.

33. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a charging cordset having a first connector on a first end for connection to the at least one station communication port of the electric vehicle and a second connector on a second end for connection to an other station communication port of an other electric vehicle, the first connector substantially identical to the second connector; and

means for charging the other electric vehicle using from the electric vehicle using the charging cordset,

wherein the VL and EVE allows the electric vehicle to emulate a standard EVSE so that an other electric vehicle interprets the EVE to be a standard EVSE.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising:

input devices including a switch in the electric vehicle coupled to the processor, the processor configured to direct power from the electric vehicle to the other electric vehicle, and signal a ready state to the other electric vehicle, in response to actuation of the vehicle switch.

35. A system for interfacing an electric vehicle with an electric power grid, the system comprising:

an electric vehicle equipment (EVE) including a processor for establishing communication with electric vehicle station equipment (EVSE) electrically coupled to the power grid, the EVSE having EVSE attributes,

wherein the EVE is configured to;

receive the EVSE attributes;

receive requests from an aggregation server; and

manage a timing, a rate and a direction of power flow between the EVE and the electric power grid through the EVSE based on operational parameters determined from the EVSE attributes and the requests from the aggregation server.