Method for providing a charging plan for a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for providing a charging plan (LP) for a motor vehicle (1), said charging plan (LP) defining a temporal plan for charging and / or discharging an electric energy storage device (2) of the motor vehicle (1) at a charging station (6). In the method according to the invention, during the operation of the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle monitors for the occurrence of a specified condition (BE) in which the motor vehicle (1), on the basis of a first criterion (K1), is approaching a specified charging station (6) classified as a charging station with an insufficient mobile radio reception on the basis of a second criterion (K2). In the event of the specified condition (BE), a mobile radio connection is established by the motor vehicle (1) in order to communicate with a computer platform (7), and in response thereto, a charging plan (LP) for the specified charging station (6) is computed, thereby accessing current information (IN) which influences the computation of the charging plan (LP), and the computed charging plan (LP) is stored in the motor vehicle (1), wherein the current information (IN) relates to the electric current flowing at the specified charging station (6) according to the charging plan (LP) while charging and / or discharging the electric energy storage device (2).

Description

[0001] Method for providing a charging plan for a motor vehicle

[0002] The invention relates to a method for providing a charging plan for a motor vehicle.

[0003] To charge a motor vehicle's electrical energy storage device, such as the drive battery in electric vehicles, charging stations are used to provide the necessary charging current. Increasingly, charging stations are also being used to discharge the vehicle's energy storage device. The resulting electricity is fed into a power grid, for which the vehicle user receives monetary compensation.

[0004] In order to make charging the electrical energy storage device of a motor vehicle as cost-effective as possible, it is known from the prior art to design a corresponding charging plan, which defines the timing of charging and, if applicable, also discharging the energy storage device, up to the time of departure of the motor vehicle in such a way that charging takes place at times when electricity prices are as low as possible.

[0005] To optimize the charging plan, it must be created shortly before charging the vehicle's energy storage device, using current electricity price information. Traditionally, the charging plan is only created once the vehicle is already at the appropriate charging station. However, the problem with this approach is that the charging station may be located in an area with poor mobile phone reception, meaning that the current information required to create the charging plan can no longer be accessed via a mobile phone connection. In such a case, charging is carried out using a standard charging plan without taking current information into account, which can result in financial disadvantages for the vehicle user.

[0006] In the document DE 10 2020 104 003 A1, a charging plan is calculated in a vehicle for a charging device located within a predefined geofence from a destination based on a current state of charge and a desired state of charge. The object of the invention is to provide a charging plan for a motor vehicle that is based on current information, even for charging stations located in locations with poor mobile phone reception.

[0007] This object is achieved by the method according to claim 1 and the system according to claim 11. Further developments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

[0008] The method according to the invention serves to provide a charging plan for a motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle is preferably a passenger car, but can also be a truck if necessary. The charging plan specifies a time schedule for the electrical charging and / or discharging of an electrical energy storage device of the motor vehicle at a charging station. The electrical energy storage device is preferably an energy storage device that serves to drive the motor vehicle. In other words, the motor vehicle is preferably an electric or hybrid vehicle. In a preferred embodiment, the charging plan specifies a time schedule for charging the electrical energy storage device, wherein periods for discharging the electrical energy storage device can optionally also be included in the charging plan. If necessary, it is also possible for the charging plan to specify a time schedule in which only the discharging of the electrical energy storage device takes place.

[0009] Within the scope of the method according to the invention, the motor vehicle monitors the occurrence of a predetermined condition during its operation. According to this condition, the motor vehicle approaches a predetermined charging station based on a first criterion, which is classified as a charging station with insufficient mobile phone reception (i.e., at a location with insufficient mobile phone reception) based on a second criterion. The first criterion thus specifies that a motor vehicle is approaching a charging station, whereas the second criterion specifies that this charging station is located at a location with insufficient mobile phone reception. The criteria can be defined differently depending on the embodiment, with preferred variants of these criteria being explained further below.

[0010] As soon as the specified condition occurs in the method according to the invention, the motor vehicle establishes a mobile radio connection for communication with a computing platform located remotely from the motor vehicle. As a result, a charging plan is calculated for the specified charging station using current information that influences the calculation of the charging plan, with the calculated charging plan being stored in the motor vehicle. The current information that influences the calculation of the charging plan relates to the electrical current that flows during charging and / or discharging of the electrical energy storage device at the specified charging station according to the charging plan.

[0011] The method according to the invention has the advantage that charging plans based on current electrical current information can be generated even for charging stations located at locations with poor mobile phone reception. This is achieved by initiating the creation of a charging plan for the motor vehicle based on current electrical current information before reaching the charging station with a poor mobile phone reception. Thus, the creation of the charging plan is not triggered at the location of the charging station, where current electrical current information may then no longer be accessible due to a poor mobile phone reception.

[0012] In a preferred variant of the method according to the invention, the first criterion of the predetermined condition is designed such that the motor vehicle approaches the predetermined charging station when a distance measure of the motor vehicle to the predetermined charging station falls below a threshold value. Depending on the design, the distance measure can be defined differently. For example, the distance measure can be a calculated period of time until reaching the charging station, in which case the threshold value is a time value. Likewise, the distance measure can be the distance of the motor vehicle from the predetermined charging station, in which case the distance measure is a distance value. The determination of corresponding distance measures can be carried out in a manner known per se with the aid of satellite-supported positioning via a corresponding positioning sensor in the motor vehicle.

[0013] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the threshold described above is set such that sufficient mobile phone reception is available at locations where the distance of the motor vehicle to the specified charging station falls below the threshold. This ensures that current power information can always be used to create the charging plan at this time.

[0014] In a further preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the second criterion of the predetermined condition is designed such that a charging station is classified as a predetermined charging station if it originates from a set of specific charging stations that are classified as charging stations with insufficient mobile phone reception and / or if it is located in a predetermined area that is classified as an area with insufficient mobile phone reception, wherein the information about the set of specific charging stations and / or about one or more predetermined areas is provided in the motor vehicle.

[0015] In one embodiment, at least part of the set of specific charging stations (optionally the entire set) and / or at least part of the predefined area(s) (optionally all predefined areas) is specified by a user. For example, the user can specify specific charging stations and / or zones with poor mobile phone reception via a user interface. The user interface can be provided in the motor vehicle or it can be a user interface on a terminal that can communicate with the motor vehicle. Optionally, it is also possible for at least part of the set of specific charging stations and / or at least part of the predefined area(s) to be determined automatically by the motor vehicle.For example, based on information about previous charging processes at corresponding charging stations, the vehicle can learn which charging stations to prefer and whether there is poor mobile phone reception at these charging stations.

[0016] In a further embodiment, at least some of the information, and in particular all of the information, about the number of specific charging stations and / or the specified area(s) is provided by the computing platform and / or by other motor vehicles and / or by one or more other computing platforms. For example, a car-to-car infrastructure can be used to exchange this information. In a further preferred embodiment, the current information that influences the calculation of the charging plan includes the temporal development of the monetary price of the charging current provided at the specified charging station and / or the temporal development of the monetary price of the discharging current that is fed into a power grid via the specified charging station when discharging the electrical energy storage device of the motor vehicle. In this way, it is ensured that the charging orDischarging at the specified charging station is carried out in an optimized manner with the lowest possible cost or with the highest possible monetary gain for the user. Alternatively or additionally, the current information can also refer to characteristics other than monetary prices. For example, the quality of the electricity or its origin can also represent current information. In particular, the charging plan can be designed so that charging is carried out exclusively with electricity from renewable energies, wherever possible. Furthermore, in the case of a private charging station, the current / planned household consumption in combination with the current / expected output of the owner's own photovoltaic system can also influence the charging plan.

[0017] In a preferred variant, the calculation of the charging plan is based on an optimization criterion according to which the monetary costs for the charging current for charging the motor vehicle's electrical energy storage device at the specified charging station are as low as possible and / or the monetary income for the discharging current when discharging the motor vehicle's electrical energy storage device via the specified charging station is as high as possible. This ensures a financially optimized charging plan for the motor vehicle user.

[0018] The charging plan calculation performed in the method according to the invention can take place at different locations. In one variant, the motor vehicle triggers the charging plan calculation in the computing platform via the established mobile phone connection, with the calculated charging plan then being downloaded to the motor vehicle via the mobile phone connection. The charging plan is thus calculated not in the motor vehicle, but remotely on the computing platform.

[0019] In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the motor vehicle downloads the current information that influences the calculation of the charging plan from the computing platform via the established mobile radio connection and then calculates the charging plan for the specified charging station. Alternatively, the motor vehicle can not calculate the charging plan itself, but initiate the calculation of the charging plan in a terminal device, such as a user's mobile device that can communicate with the motor vehicle. This ensures that the motor vehicle transmits the downloaded information that influences the calculation of the charging plan to the terminal device, and that the terminal transmits the charging plan to the motor vehicle after the charging plan has been created.

[0020] In addition to the method described above, the invention relates to a system for providing a charging plan for a motor vehicle, wherein the system is configured to implement the method according to the invention or one or more preferred variants of the method according to the invention. The system thus comprises the motor vehicle whose energy storage device is to be charged or discharged, as well as the computing platform that communicates with the motor vehicle.

[0021] Furthermore, the invention relates to a motor vehicle which is designed to operate as a motor vehicle in the method according to the invention or in one or more preferred variants of the method according to the invention.

[0022] An embodiment of the invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached figures.

[0023] They show:

[0024] Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a scenario in which an embodiment of the method according to the invention is carried out; and

[0025] Fig. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the steps of the embodiment of the method according to the invention from Fig. 1.

[0026] Figure 1 depicts a scenario in which a driver of a motor vehicle 1 wishes to charge the energy storage device 2 installed in the motor vehicle at a charging station 6. The electrical energy storage device 2 serves to electrically drive the motor vehicle and is represented only schematically by a white block. The charging station 6 can be, for example, a public charging station or, if appropriate, a private charging station belonging to the vehicle user.

[0027] The motor vehicle 1 further comprises a sensor 3 for satellite-based positioning, a control device 4 that controls the steps of the embodiment of the invention described here, and a mobile radio interface 5 through which the motor vehicle can communicate via mobile radio. Components 3, 4, and 5 are schematically represented by hatched blocks, whereby the positions of the blocks do not correlate with the actual installation positions in the motor vehicle.

[0028] The charging of the motor vehicle 1 is to be carried out in a conventional manner using a charging plan LP. This charging plan LP is created by a computing platform 7 and downloaded to the motor vehicle via a mobile radio connection established via the mobile radio interface 5, as indicated by an arrow. Current information IN relating to the charging current at the charging station 6 is used to calculate the charging plan LP. This information includes the temporal development of the electricity price for the charging current. The computing platform 7 is a server located remotely from the motor vehicle, which is accessible via the Internet or, if necessary, via a cloud-based system comprising multiple servers.

[0029] In a modified embodiment, it is further possible for the charging station 6 to support bidirectional charging, and the charging plan LP may also include discharging the motor vehicle's energy storage device. This discharging current is fed into a power grid, and the driver of the motor vehicle receives monetary compensation for this. In the case of a private charging station, the discharging current can also be consumed directly (e.g., in the household). In this case, the current information IN also contains information on the discharging current and, in particular, the temporal development of the price paid for the discharging current.

[0030] Charging station 6 is located at a location with poor mobile phone reception. The embodiment described here ensures that a charging plan LP with current information IN is downloaded to motor vehicle 1 in good time before reaching charging station 6, provided mobile phone reception is still present. The steps performed for this purpose are explained below with reference to Fig. 2.

[0031] According to step S1 of Fig. 2, the control device 4 monitors a condition BE with a first criterion K1 based on a predetermined threshold value SW and a second criterion K2. The first criterion K1 defines the conditions under which the motor vehicle 1 is approaching the charging station 6. In the embodiment described here, the motor vehicle is approaching when the travel time of the motor vehicle 1 to the charging station 6, calculated by the control device 4, falls below the predetermined threshold value SW. The travel time to the charging station 6 is calculated using mechanisms known per se, taking into account the distance of the motor vehicle 1 to the charging station 6, which is determined using the sensor 3 for satellite-based positioning. Instead of taking the travel time into account in the first criterion K1, this distance can also be used to determine the criterion K1 if necessary.In such a case, the threshold SW is set as a predetermined distance.

[0032] In the embodiment described here, the threshold value SW is set such that at the time when this threshold value is undershot due to the approach of the motor vehicle 1 to the charging station 6, it is ensured that the motor vehicle has mobile radio reception via its mobile radio interface 5. In other words, the threshold value SW is set depending on the size of the area around the charging station 6 in which there is no or only poor mobile radio reception. The threshold value is then selected such that the locations at which the threshold value SW is undershot due to the approach of the motor vehicle 1 to the charging station 6 are outside this area with no or poor mobile radio reception.

[0033] The second criterion K2, considered in condition BE, concerns the prerequisites for classifying a charging station as having poor mobile reception. In the embodiment described here, information about a set of specific charging stations classified as having poor mobile reception is stored in motor vehicle 1. If it is determined that the charging station that motor vehicle 1 is currently approaching is part of this set, the second criterion is met, and the charging station is classified as having poor mobile reception.

[0034] Alternatively or additionally, the second criterion can also be defined using predefined areas classified as having poor mobile reception. If it is determined that the charging station that motor vehicle 1 is currently approaching is located in such an area, the second criterion is met, and the charging station is classified as having poor mobile reception.

[0035] The corresponding number of specific charging stations with poor mobile phone reception can be determined in various ways. In one variant, the specific charging stations are defined by the user of the motor vehicle. For example, the user can use a user interface in the vehicle or an app on their mobile phone to define zones (locations with a radius) in which they regularly charge their vehicle and in which poor or no mobile phone reception is possible. All charging stations within this area are then classified as specific charging stations. Furthermore, the corresponding information about the specific charging stations can also be downloaded from the computing platform 7 to the motor vehicle. The computing platform can obtain this information from public servers on which charging stations with poor mobile phone reception are stored.In another embodiment, it is also possible for the motor vehicle to automatically learn which charging stations with poor mobile phone connections are regularly visited by the vehicle. These charging stations then form the set of specific charging stations.

[0036] In step S2 of Fig. 2, the occurrence of condition BE is detected by the control device 4. It is also determined that the motor vehicle is approaching the charging station 6 according to criterion K1, wherein the charging station 6 is a charging station with poor mobile radio reception according to criterion K2. In response to this detection, step S3 of the method of Fig. 2 is then carried out. According to this step, the motor vehicle 1 communicates with the computing platform 7 via a mobile radio connection that the motor vehicle establishes via its mobile radio interface 5. As part of this communication, the motor vehicle 1 triggers the generation of a corresponding charging plan LP for charging the energy storage device 2 of the motor vehicle 1 on the computing platform 7. Based on this charging plan, the motor vehicle is then to be charged at the charging station 6.

[0037] The charging plan LP takes into account, on the one hand, user-specific information, such as the planned departure time of the vehicle. This information is transmitted to the computing platform 7 via the mobile phone connection. Furthermore, when creating the charging plan, current information IN relating to the electricity used for charging is taken into account. The computing platform 7 obtains this information from the electricity grid operator that supplies the electricity to the charging station 6. In the embodiment described here, the information IN includes the temporal development of the electricity price for the electricity provided at the charging station 6. The currently set electricity prices are used, which are then incorporated into the creation of the charging plan.The charging plan is optimized with regard to these electricity prices so that charging is carried out up until the time of departure of the vehicle in such a way that charging takes place in intervals with the lowest possible electricity price in order to keep the electricity costs for the driver of the vehicle low.

[0038] The charging plan LP created on the computing platform 7 is downloaded to motor vehicle 1 via the mobile communications interface. This ensures that a charging plan with current information for charging the vehicle is stored in advance in the vehicle before the vehicle reaches charging station 6, where downloading the charging plan is not possible due to the poor mobile communications connection. Motor vehicle 1 is then charged at charging station 6 based on the charging plan LP.

[0039] In the foregoing, the invention was described based on an exemplary embodiment in which the charging plan is created on the computing platform 7. In a modified embodiment, it is also possible for the charging plan to be created in the motor vehicle 1 using the control device 4, wherein in this case, when the condition BE occurs, the current information IN is downloaded to the motor vehicle via the mobile phone connection so that the charging plan LP can be created based on current information. The embodiments of the invention described above have a number of advantages. In particular, the creation of a charging plan for a charging station with poor mobile phone reception is initiated early on, at a time when the motor vehicle still has mobile phone reception.This allows a charging plan to be generated based on current electricity price information and used to charge the vehicle, even if there is no mobile reception at the charging station itself. This ensures that charging at the charging station is based on the most up-to-date information possible.

[0040] List of reference symbols

[0041] 1 motor vehicle

[0042] 2 energy storage units

[0043] 3 Sensor for satellite-based positioning

[0044] 4 Control device

[0045] 5 Mobile radio interface

[0046] 6 charging station

[0047] 7 Computing platform

[0048] 8 current information

[0049] LP loading plan

[0050] BE specified condition

[0051] K1 first criterion

[0052] K2 second criterion

[0053] SW threshold

Claims

Patent claims 1 . Method for providing a charging plan (LP) for a motor vehicle (1 ), wherein the charging plan (LP) defines a temporal scheme for charging and / or discharging an electrical energy storage device (2) of the motor vehicle (1 ) at a charging station (6), in which the motor vehicle (1 ) monitors the occurrence of a predetermined condition (BE) during its operation, according to which the motor vehicle (1 ) approaches a predetermined charging station (6) based on a first criterion (K1 ), which is classified as a charging station with insufficient mobile radio reception based on a second criterion (K2);in the event that the predetermined condition (BE) occurs, a mobile radio connection is established by the motor vehicle (1) for communication with a computing platform (7), whereupon a calculation of a charging plan (LP) for the predetermined charging station (6) is carried out with access to current information (IN) which influences the calculation of the charging plan (LP), and the calculated charging plan (LP) is stored in the motor vehicle (1), wherein the current information (IN) relates to the electrical current which flows during charging and / or discharging of the electrical energy storage device (2) at the predetermined charging station (6) in accordance with the charging plan (LP); 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first criterion (K1) is designed such that the motor vehicle (1) approaches the predetermined charging station (6) when a distance measure of the motor vehicle (1) to the predetermined charging station (6) falls below a threshold value (SW).

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the threshold value (SW) is set such that sufficient mobile radio reception is available at the locations where the distance of the motor vehicle (1) to the predetermined charging station (6) falls below the threshold value (SW).

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second criterion (K2) is designed such that a charging station is classified as a predetermined charging station (6) if it is selected from a set of specific charging stations that are classified as charging stations with insufficient mobile phone reception and / or if it is located in a predetermined area that is classified as an area with insufficient mobile phone reception, wherein the information about the number of specific charging stations and / or about one or more predetermined areas is provided in the motor vehicle (1).

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that at least part of the set of specific charging stations and / or at least part of the predetermined area(s) is / are defined by a user and / or is / are determined automatically by the motor vehicle (1).

6. Method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that at least part of the information about the set of specific charging stations and / or the predetermined area(s) is provided to the motor vehicle (1) by the computing platform (7) and / or by other motor vehicles and / or by one or more other computing platforms.

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the current information (IN) which influences the calculation of the charging plan (LP) comprises the temporal development of the monetary price of the charging current provided at the predetermined charging station (6) and / or the temporal development of the monetary price of the discharging current which is fed into a power grid via the predetermined charging station (6) when discharging the energy storage device (2) of the motor vehicle (1).

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the calculation of the charging plan (LP) is based on an optimization criterion according to which the monetary costs for the charging current for charging the electrical energy storage device (2) of the motor vehicle (1) at the predetermined charging station (6) are as low as possible and / or the monetary income for the discharging current when discharging the electrical energy storage device (2) of the motor vehicle (1) via the predetermined charging station (6) are as high as possible.

9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the motor vehicle (1) triggers the calculation of the charging plan (LP) in the computing platform (7) via the mobile radio connection, wherein the calculated charging plan (LP) is then downloaded to the motor vehicle (1) via the mobile radio connection.

10. Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the motor vehicle (1) downloads the current information (IN) which influences the calculation of the charging plan (LP) from the computing platform (7) via the mobile radio connection and then calculates the charging plan (LP) for the predetermined charging station (6) or initiates the calculation of the charging plan (LP) in a terminal device.

11. System for providing a charging plan for a motor vehicle (1), wherein the charging plan (LP) defines a time schedule for charging and / or discharging an electrical energy storage device (2) of the motor vehicle (1) at a charging station (6), wherein the system is set up to carry out a method in which: the motor vehicle (1) monitors, during its operation, the occurrence of a predetermined condition (BE), according to which the motor vehicle (1) approaches, based on a first criterion (K1), a predetermined charging station (6), which is classified as a charging station with insufficient mobile radio reception based on a second criterion (K2);in the event that the predetermined condition (BE) occurs, a mobile radio connection is established by the motor vehicle (1) for communication with a computing platform (7), whereupon a calculation of a charging plan (LP) for the predetermined charging station (6) is carried out with access to current information (IN) which influences the calculation of the charging plan (LP), and the calculated charging plan (LP) is stored in the motor vehicle (1), wherein the current information (IN) relates to the electrical current which flows during charging and / or discharging of the electrical energy storage device (2) at the predetermined charging station (6) in accordance with the charging plan (LP); 12. System according to claim 11, characterized in that the system is set up to carry out a method according to one of claims 2 to 10.

13. Motor vehicle, characterized in that the motor vehicle (1) is designed to operate as a motor vehicle in a method according to one of claims 1 to 10.

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