Slow charging method and on-board charger for environmentally-friendly vehicle using the same

• US 9,610,855 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2014
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Nam, Houk, Yang, Chae Mo
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIGGUSH, AARON C
• Application Number:
  US14/470,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20150291043A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 320104, 320134, 320137, 320150, 320160
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/64 Optimising energy costs, e.g. responding to electricity rates
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• 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 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A slow charging method of a vehicle and an on-board charger using the same are provided that improve charging efficiency and thus save a charging cost by adjusted charging output of the on-board charger based on temperature thereof. The method includes detecting, by a controller, a charging request and detecting temperature of the on-board charger in response to detecting the charging request. The controller is configured to determine whether the temperature of the on-board charger is within a predetermined temperature range and adjust charging an output of the on-board charger to a predetermined value when the temperature of the on-board charger is within the predetermined temperature range. The controller is then configured to charge a battery of the vehicle with the adjusted charging output of the on-board charger.

Claims

1. A slow charging method of a vehicle including an on-board charger, comprising:

detecting, by a controller, a charging request;

detecting, by the controller, temperature of the on-board charger in response to detecting the charging request;

determining, by the controller, whether the temperature of the on-board charger is within a predetermined temperature range;

adjusting, by the controller, a charging output of the on-board charger to a predetermined value when the temperature of the on-board charger is within the predetermined temperature range; and

charging, by the controller, a battery of the vehicle with the adjusted charging output of the on-board charger,

wherein the adjusted charging output of the on-board charger is less than a previous charging output of the on-board charger, and

a charging time of the adjusted charging output is greater than that of the previous charging output.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusted charging output of the on-board charger is about 4.4 kW, and the previous charging output of the on-board charger is about 6.6 kW.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining, by the controller, the charging output of the on-board charger when the temperature of the on-board charger is beyond the predetermined temperature range.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature of the on-board charger is detected at a predetermined time interval.

5. An on-board charger of a vehicle, comprising:

a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the on-board charger; and

a controller configured to;

variably adjust a charging output of the on-board charger based on the temperature the on-board charger;

detect a charging request;

detect temperature of the on-board charger in response to detecting the charging request;

determine whether the temperature of the on-board charger is within a predetermined temperature range;

adjust a charging output of the on-board charger to a predetermined value when the temperature of the on-board is within the predetermined temperature range; and

charge a battery of the vehicle with the adjusted charging output of the on-board charger,

wherein the adjusted charging output of the on-board charger is less than a previous charging output of the on-board charger, and

a charging time of the adjusted charging output is greater than that of the previous charging output.

6. The on-board charger of claim 5, wherein the adjusted charging output of the on-board charger is about 4.4 kW, and the previous charging output of the on-board charger is about 6.6 kW.

7. The on-board charger of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to:

maintain the charging output of the on-board charger when the temperature of the on-board charger is beyond the predetermined temperature range.

8. The on-board charger of claim 5, wherein the temperature of the on-board charger is detected at a predetermined time interval.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a controller, the computer readable medium comprising:

program instructions that detect a charging request;

program instructions that detect temperature of the on-board charger in response to detecting the charging request;

program instructions that determine whether the temperature of the on-board charger is within a predetermined temperature range;

program instructions that adjust a charging output of the on-board charger to a predetermined value when the temperature of the on-board charger is within the predetermined temperature range; and

program instructions that charge a battery of the vehicle with the adjusted charging output of the on-board charger,

wherein the adjusted charging output of the on-board charger is less than a previous charging output of the on-board charger, and

a charging time of the adjusted charging output is greater than that of the previous charging output.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the adjusted charging output of the on-board charger is about 4.4 kW, and the previous charging output of the on-board charger is about 6.6 kW.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising:

program instructions that maintain the charging output of the on-board charger when the temperature of the on-board charger is beyond the predetermined temperature range.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the temperature of the on-board charger is detected at a predetermined time interval.