Electric vehicle charging strategy

• US 9,000,722 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2011
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Uyeki, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOATENG, ALEXIS ASIEDUA
• Application Number:
  US13/175,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20130002188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109, 320/104, 320/137, 320/140, 320/101, 320/155, 320/156, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• 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

The charging of an electric vehicle connected to a charging station is initiated. When a state of charge of the vehicle reaches a minimum state of charge, the charging is halted. The minimum state of charge is less than the full charge capacity of the vehicle. A time for reinitiating the charging is determined. The charging of the vehicle is reinitiated at the determined time.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for charging an electric vehicle connected to a charging station, the method comprising:

responsive to a current start of charge of the vehicle being below a minimum state of charge, initiating charging of the vehicle regardless of a current cost for electric energy, the charging including the charging station providing the electric energy to the vehicle, the minimum state of charge less than a full charge capacity of the vehicle;

halting the charging of the vehicle responsive to the current state of charge of the vehicle reaching the minimum state of charge;

responsive to halting the charging of the vehicle based on the current state of charge reaching the minimum state of charge, determining a time for reinitiating the charging of the vehicle when cost of electric energy is below a set cost; and

reinitiating the charging of the vehicle at the determined time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein information is received indicating cost of electric energy provided by the charging station and the time for reinitiating the charging is determined based on the received information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein information is received indicating electric energy rates of electric energy provided by the charging station, where the electric energy rates vary based on at least one or more of the following:

time, day, month, and calendar season.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein electric energy is below the set cost during off-peak hours.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a user of the vehicle provides the set cost.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the minimum state of charge is set by a user of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the minimum state of charge is preset by a manufacturer of the vehicle.