External power supply unit and external power supply system

Abstract

The problem this invention aims to solve is to provide uninterrupted power supply to external loads even in locations without electrical facilities. To address this problem, this invention provides an external power supply unit that can connect to multiple power sources, and includes: multiple connection ports for connecting to each of the multiple power sources; a connection status acquisition unit for acquiring the connection status of the power source connected to each of the multiple connection ports; a power supply status acquisition unit for acquiring the power supply status from the multiple power sources; and a switching unit that, when the connection status acquisition unit detects that at least two or more power sources are connected, receives power from one of the connected power sources and switches to power supply from other power sources based on the power supply status of one power source acquired by the power supply status acquisition unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an external power supply unit and an external power supply system for receiving power from a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing popularity of electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, etc., the following technology is known: using electric vehicles or fuel cell vehicles as power sources in places without electrical equipment, such as disaster sites or outdoor locations.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a technology that operates using power from the vehicle's auxiliary battery and supplies power from the vehicle's energy storage device to an external load.

[0004] [Preliminary Technology Documents]

[0005] (Patent Documents)

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-92504 Summary of the Invention

[0007] [The problem the invention aims to solve]

[0008] To draw power from a vehicle, an external power supply is required. However, because conventional external power supplies were designed to connect to only one vehicle, they only had one input port. Therefore, for example, when a vehicle's battery runs out, the connection needs to be temporarily disconnected and the connection switched to another vehicle.

[0009] Furthermore, since the amount of electricity that can be supplied from a single vehicle to an external load is limited, charging is required at charging infrastructure such as charging stations or hydrogen refueling stations. However, access to charging infrastructure is difficult in disaster situations or in locations without electrical facilities, such as outdoors.

[0010] Furthermore, in the aforementioned locations without electrical facilities, electricity is currently supplied by generators, etc., but in recent years, with the pursuit of carbon neutrality, the demand for vehicles or equipment that can supply power to electric vehicles, etc., is also increasing.

[0011] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an external power supply unit and an external power supply system that can supply power to external loads without interruption, even in places where there are no electrical facilities.

[0012] [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0013] (1) The external power supply unit of the present invention (e.g., external power supply unit 20 hereinafter) can be connected to multiple power supply sources (e.g., electric vehicle 60 hereinafter), and includes:

[0014] Multiple connection ports (e.g., connection port 21 below) are connected to each of the aforementioned multiple power supply sources;

[0015] The connection status acquisition unit (for example, the connection status acquisition unit 210 described below) acquires the connection status of the power supply source with each of the aforementioned plurality of connection ports;

[0016] The power supply status acquisition unit (e.g., power supply status acquisition unit 220 below) acquires the power supply status from the aforementioned plurality of power supply sources; and the switching unit (e.g., contactor 25) receives power from one of the connected power supply sources when the connection status acquisition unit detects that at least two or more power supply sources are connected, and switches to power supply from other power supply sources based on the power supply status of the aforementioned power supply source acquired by the power supply status acquisition unit.

[0017] According to (1) above, the external power supply can be continuously utilized by switching between multiple power supply sources to receive power.

[0018] (2) The external power supply described in (1) above further includes an adjustment unit that adjusts the output from the aforementioned plurality of power supply sources to a specific value.

[0019] During the process of supplying power from the aforementioned power source at the aforementioned specific value, the aforementioned switching unit stops supplying power from the aforementioned power source after the aforementioned other power source starts supplying power at the aforementioned specific value.

[0020] According to (2) above, it is possible to continuously supply power with a specific output value without interruption.

[0021] (3) In the external power supply unit described in (1) or (2) above, the aforementioned power supply status acquisition unit acquires information on whether each of the aforementioned power supply sources can supply power based on the power reserve of each of the aforementioned plurality of power supply sources. If the aforementioned power reserve is below a certain amount, it is determined that power supply cannot be provided.

[0022] The aforementioned switching unit switches to be powered by a rechargeable power supply source among the aforementioned plurality of power supply sources.

[0023] According to (3) above, it is possible to continuously supply power with a specific output value without interruption.

[0024] (4) The external power supply system of the present invention (for example, the external power supply system 1 below) includes: an external power supply unit (for example, the external power supply unit 20 below) as described in any one of (1) to (3);

[0025] The user's terminal device (e.g., user terminal 40 below) of the aforementioned external power supply;

[0026] Multiple power supply sources (e.g., electric vehicle 60 described below); and,

[0027] Management device (e.g., server 10 described below); and,

[0028] The aforementioned multiple power supply sources are mobile entities.

[0029] The aforementioned external power supply unit or the aforementioned terminal device sends a power supply request information to the aforementioned management device.

[0030] The aforementioned management device acquires the power supply and receiving information of the aforementioned multiple power supply sources, and sends the aforementioned power supply request information of the aforementioned external power supply unit to the aforementioned multiple power supply sources.

[0031] According to (4) above, power can be supplied continuously even in locations far from charging infrastructure.

[0032] (The effect of the invention)

[0033] According to the present invention, power can be supplied to external loads without interruption even in locations without electrical facilities. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 This is a block diagram showing the basic structure of an external power supply system including an external power supply unit, as an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 2 This is a functional block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of a server in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 3 This is a functional block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of a user terminal in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the connection between an external power supply, an external load, and an electric vehicle in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 5 This is a functional block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the external power supply in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 6 This is a functional block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the vehicle-mounted device in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of confirming the power supply status of an electric vehicle that is being supplied with electricity in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the actions of switching vehicles in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0042] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the external power supply of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the external power supply of the present invention is a device representing the present invention, attached to an external power supply system. Therefore, the external power supply system will also be described during the description of the external power supply.

[0043] Furthermore, here, as a power supply source, an example is shown where two electric vehicles (hereinafter also referred to as "electric vehicles") are connected to an external power source. Additionally, the present invention can also be applied to situations where three or more electric vehicles are connected.

[0044] exist Figure 1 The overall structure of the external power supply system 1 is shown in the figure.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, the external power supply system 1 includes: a server 10, which serves as a management device for the external power supply system 1; an external power supply unit 20; a user terminal 40, which uses the external power supply system 1 to access the external power supply unit 20; vehicle-mounted devices 50a and 50b, mounted on electric vehicles used by the provider supplying power to the external power supply unit 20; and electric vehicles 60a and 60b, serving as power supply vehicles, carrying the vehicle-mounted devices 50a and 50b and supplying power to the external power supply unit 20. The server 10, user terminal 40, and vehicle-mounted devices 50a and 50b can be interconnected via a communication network (not shown) such as the Internet or standard mobile phone networks such as 4G and 5G. Furthermore, the information transmitted and received by the server 10, user terminal 40, and vehicle-mounted devices 50a and 50b is also illustrated in the figure, but this information is only an example. In this embodiment, information other than that illustrated can also be transmitted and received.

[0046] For example, a user terminal 40 is set up for each user using an external power supply 20.

[0047] Similarly, for example, each electric vehicle 60 of the provider is equipped with an on-board unit 50. In the following description, when the on-board unit 50 is distinguished for different providers, such as Figure 1 As shown, examples include, for instance, vehicle-mounted devices 50a and 50b. Furthermore, in the following description, when referring to vehicle-mounted device 50 without distinction of the provider, the last letter is omitted, and it is simply referred to as "vehicle-mounted device 50". The same applies to electric vehicle 60.

[0048] <Processing Overview>

[0049] Previously, for example, an external power supply was required to receive power from an electric vehicle 60, such as an electric car. However, since conventional external power supplies were designed to connect only one electric vehicle 60, they only had one connection port. Therefore, when, for example, the power reserve (battery reserve) of the charging device such as the lithium-ion battery included in the electric vehicle 60 was low, it was necessary to temporarily disconnect and switch to another electric vehicle 60. During the connection switch, the power supply to the external load would sometimes be interrupted. Therefore, as described below, the external power supply 20 of this invention solves the above-mentioned problem by providing multiple connection ports and calculating the power reserve (battery reserve) of the electric vehicle 60, and switching to another electric vehicle 60 when the power reserve (battery reserve) falls below a certain amount.

[0050] Before providing a detailed description of each device (equipment) constituting the external power supply system 1, a brief overview of the processing of the external power supply system 1 will be given.

[0051] First, the user, for example via user terminal 40, pre-registers information related to the user (such as name, address, email, etc.) and information related to the external power supply 20 (such as device name, manufacturing number, number of connection ports, etc.) in server 10.

[0052] Furthermore, the provider may pre-register information related to the provider (e.g., name, address, email address, etc.) and information related to the electric vehicle 60 (e.g., vehicle model, license plate number, or vehicle ID with vehicle identification number (VIN)) in the server 10, for example via the onboard device 50. Additionally, the provider may also register power availability signals in the server 10, including information such as the power availability area of ​​the electric vehicle 60 (current location), the state of charge (SOC) of the electric vehicle 60, and the available charging time period.

[0053] Thus, by having users and providers register their use in the external power supply system 1, the server 10 can collect and manage information on registered users and external power supply units 20, as well as information on providers and electric vehicles 60.

[0054] Furthermore, when entrusting the arrangement of electric vehicle 60 for the registered external power supply 20, the user registers a charging request signal for the external power supply 20 in the server 10 using the user terminal 40. Specifically, the user registers a charging request signal in the server 10, which includes information such as the charging location (address) of the external power supply 20, the charging target (external power supply 20), the charging time (charging start time, charging end time), and the SOC of the external power supply 20. In addition, the user's registration of the charging request signal can be performed at any time, for example, in advance before the date of use of the external power supply 20.

[0055] Based on the registered charging request signal and power supply condition signal, server 10 selects an electric vehicle 60 that can be powered and sends a power supply entrustment notification to the on-board device 50 of the selected electric vehicle 60. The power supply entrustment notification includes information such as the location of the external power supply 20 of the power supply object, the required power supply, the power supply start time, and charging infrastructure information (location, route to the charging location, round-trip time).

[0056] When the server 10 receives an acceptance signal corresponding to the power supply request notification sent from the vehicle-mounted device 50, it sends the acceptance notification to the user terminal 40. The acceptance notification includes power supply vehicle information such as arrival time, available SOC, and identification information of the power supply vehicle (e.g., the provider's name or the vehicle ID of the electric vehicle 60).

[0057] The user will arrive at the designated charging location on the agreed date and time and connect the provider's electric vehicle 60a, electric vehicle 60b to the external power supply unit 20.

[0058] The external power supply unit 20 provides power from one of the connected electric vehicles 60a and 60b, for example, electric vehicle 60a, to an external load 30 (e.g., electrical equipment in a residence or shelter during a disaster), and puts electric vehicle 60b into standby mode. Furthermore, the external power supply unit 20 determines whether the SOC (State of Charge) of electric vehicle 60a is below the amount of battery capacity (a specific amount) required to reach the nearest charging infrastructure. When it is determined that the SOC of electric vehicle 60a is below the specific amount, the external power supply unit 20 switches from power supply from electric vehicle 60a to power supply from electric vehicle 60b.

[0059] Therefore, the external power supply unit 20 can supply power to the external load 30 without interruption, even in the event of a disaster or in places without electrical facilities, such as outdoors.

[0060] Furthermore, when it is determined that the State of Charge (SOC) of the electric vehicle 60 is below a certain level, the provider of the electric vehicle 60 goes to the charging infrastructure to charge the electric vehicle 60's energy storage device. Thus, the electric vehicle 60 can avoid running out of power and can relay power to the external power supply 20 again.

[0061] The above provides a brief overview of the handling of external power supply system 1.

[0062] Next, the devices (equipment) that constitute the external power supply system 1 will be described.

[0063] In addition, in the following description, the electric vehicle 60a first supplies power to the external power supply 20, but the same manner is also followed when the electric vehicle 60b first supplies power to the external power supply 20.

[0064] <Server 10>

[0065] refer to Figure 2 The block diagram illustrates the functional blocks of server 10.

[0066] like Figure 2 As shown, the server 10 is configured to include a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a communication unit 13, a display unit 16, and an input unit 17.

[0067] The control unit 11 is composed of a computing device such as a microprocessor, and controls the various components constituting the server 10. Details of the control unit 11 will be described below.

[0068] The storage unit 12 is composed of a semiconductor memory or the like, and stores control programs called firmware or operating system, programs for obtaining charging request signals from user terminal 40, programs for selecting electric vehicle 60, and various other information such as map information. In the figure, examples of the information stored in the storage unit 12 include map information 121, user and external power supply information 122, provider and electric vehicle information 123, and charging infrastructure database (DB) 124.

[0069] Map information 121 includes information related to above-ground features such as roads, facilities, and parking lots, as well as road information, facility information, and parking lot information. For facility and parking lot information, the location information of each facility and parking lot is stored as latitude and longitude coordinates. In addition to latitude and longitude coordinates, address, telephone number, and other information can also be stored as location information for each facility and parking lot.

[0070] The user and external power supply information 122 includes, for example, information such as the user's name (surname) and first name (given name), and the user's address. Additionally, a user identification ID may be stored for each user. Furthermore, the user and external power supply information 122 includes, for example, information such as the product name, product number, and number of connection ports of the external power supply 20 held by each user.

[0071] The provider and electric vehicle information 123 may include, for example, the provider's name (including surname and given name), provider address, etc. Additionally, a provider identification ID may be stored for each provider. Furthermore, the provider and electric vehicle information 123 may also include, for example, information such as the electric vehicle model 60, vehicle ID, available power supply area, electric vehicle 60's SOC, and available charging time period for each provider, based on a power availability signal received from the on-board unit 50.

[0072] The charging infrastructure database 124 is a database that stores the location information of charging infrastructure such as charging piles or hydrogen refueling stations using latitude and longitude coordinates. In addition to latitude and longitude coordinates, the location information for charging infrastructure can also store information such as address, operating hours, telephone number, charging type, and output.

[0073] The communication unit 13 includes a digital signal processor (DSP) and other components, and enables wireless communication with the user terminal 40 and the vehicle-mounted device 50 via a communication network (not shown) according to standards such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), 4G, 5G, or Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0074] The display unit 16 is composed of a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic electroluminescent panel. The display unit 16 displays an image after receiving an instruction from the control unit 11.

[0075] The input unit 17 consists of a physical switch, also known as a keypad or numeric keypad, or an input device (not shown) such as a touch panel superimposed on the display surface of the display unit 16.

[0076] Next, the details of the control unit 11 will be described. The control unit 11 is, for example, a microprocessor comprising a central processing unit (CPU), random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), and input / output (I / O) units. The CPU executes programs read from the ROM or storage unit 12. During program execution, it reads information from the RAM, ROM, and storage unit 12, writes information to the RAM and storage unit 12, and exchanges signals with the communication unit 13. Furthermore, the processing in this embodiment is achieved through the coordinated operation of hardware and software (programs).

[0077] like Figure 2 As shown, the control unit 11 includes a charging request acquisition unit 111, a vehicle selection unit 112, a power supply commission notification unit 113, and a commission acceptance notification unit 114 as functional blocks.

[0078] When a charging request signal is received from the user terminal 40 via the communication unit 13, the charging request acquisition unit 111 acquires the charging location (address), the external power supply 20 to be charged, the charging time (charging start time, charging end time), the SOC of the external power supply 20, etc. included in the received charging request signal.

[0079] The vehicle selection unit 112 calculates the number of external power supplies required to supply power to the external power supply 20 within the requested charging time based on the charging location (address), the external power supply 20 to be charged, the charging start time and charging end time, and the SOC (sufficient power) of the external power supply 20, as well as the available power supply area, the SOC (available power) of the electric vehicle 60, and the available charging time period included in the provider and electric vehicle information 123. It then sets a power supply and receiving plan with the required number of units pre-set. Based on the power supply and receiving plan, the vehicle selection unit 112 selects the required number of electric vehicles 60 that can be supplied with power.

[0080] Additionally, the vehicle selection unit 112 can, for example, acquire the current location information of the electric vehicle 60 located by the on-board device 50, and select the electric vehicle 60 based on the acquired current location information of the electric vehicle 60, power supply and receiving plans, and the aforementioned charging locations. Thus, the server 10 can select the electric vehicle 60 by considering the utilization status of the provider's electric vehicle 60.

[0081] Furthermore, in the power supply and receiving plan, the number of round trips between the charging location and the charging infrastructure for each electric vehicle 60 can be set at the same time as the necessary number of electric vehicles 60, and the charging infrastructure obtained by the power supply entrustment notification department 113 described below.

[0082] The power supply request notification unit 113 notifies the on-board unit 50 of the selected electric vehicle 60 of a power supply request notification via the communication unit 13. Specifically, the power supply request notification unit 113 obtains, for example, the location information of the nearest charging infrastructure based on the charging location (address) and charging infrastructure database 124 obtained from the user terminal 40. Based on the obtained location information of the charging infrastructure and map information 121, the power supply request notification unit 113 calculates the route from the charging location to the charging infrastructure and the round-trip time. Furthermore, the power supply request notification unit 113 notifies the on-board unit 50 of the selected electric vehicle 60 of the power supply request notification, which includes the location (address) of the charging location (i.e., the object to be powered), the required power capacity, the power supply start time, and the charging infrastructure information (location (address), route, and round-trip time).

[0083] Furthermore, the power supply commission notification unit 113 obtains the location information of the nearest charging infrastructure based on the charging location (address) and charging infrastructure database 124 obtained from the user terminal 40, but is not limited to this. For example, the power supply commission notification unit 113 may also obtain the location information of the charging infrastructure with the lowest charging cost during the charging period, or the charging infrastructure with the lowest electricity cost required for a round trip to the charging infrastructure. Alternatively, the power supply commission notification unit 113 may also obtain the location information of the charging infrastructure along the route of the electric vehicle 60 to the charging location. This reduces the number of round trips the electric vehicle 60 makes between the charging location and the charging infrastructure.

[0084] The power supply commission acceptance unit 114 receives, via the communication unit 13, an acceptance signal corresponding to the power supply commission notification issued by the power supply commission acceptance unit 113 from the on-board unit 50 of the selected electric vehicle 60. Furthermore, the acceptance signal received from the on-board unit 50 of the selected electric vehicle 60 may also include information such as arrival time or available state of charge (SOC).

[0085] Based on the provider and electric vehicle information 123, the commission acceptance notification unit 114 sends a commission acceptance notification to the user terminal 40 via the communication unit 13. The commission acceptance notification includes the arrival time of the electric vehicle 60 that received the commission acceptance signal, power supply vehicle information such as the available SOC and vehicle ID, and information about the provider of the electric vehicle 60 (the provider's name, address, phone number, email address, etc.). Alternatively, the commission acceptance notification unit 114 may also use well-known functions such as push notifications (e.g., email or social networking services, SNS) to send the commission acceptance notification.

[0086] In addition, when the commission acceptance notification unit 114 does not receive a commission acceptance signal from the on-board unit 50 of the number of electric vehicles 60 calculated by the vehicle selection unit 112, the vehicle selection unit 112 may also select the missing number of electric vehicles 60 again based on the power supply and receiving plan, and the power supply commission notification unit 113 notifies the on-board unit 50 of the selected electric vehicles 60 of the power supply commission notification.

[0087] <User Terminal 40>

[0088] User terminal 40 is a terminal used by the user of external power supply 20 to communicate with, for example, server 10. As user terminal 40, well-known terminals such as personal computers (PCs), tablet terminals, smartphones, mobile terminals, etc. can be used.

[0089] exist Figure 3 The diagram shows a functional block diagram illustrating the functional composition of the user terminal 40. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the user terminal 40 is configured to include at least a control unit 41 and a storage unit 42, in addition to a communication unit 43, a display unit 46 and an input unit 47.

[0090] Here, the control unit 41, storage unit 42, communication unit 43, display unit 46, and input unit 47 are implemented by hardware equivalent to the functional blocks with the same names included in the server 10, but their functions or uses are different from those of the server 10. Therefore, some repetitive explanations of the hardware are omitted, and the different functions or uses will be explained below.

[0091] The control unit 41 is composed of an arithmetic processing device such as a microprocessor, and controls the various components constituting the user terminal 40. Details of the control unit 41 will be described below.

[0092] The storage unit 42 may also be composed of a semiconductor memory or the like, and stores various programs such as control programs called firmware or operating system, programs that register user-related information and information related to the external power supply 20 in the server 10, programs that send charging request signals, and programs that retrieve information related to accepting the power supply request from the server 10 and display it to the user. Furthermore, the storage unit 42 may also store various information registered in the server 10.

[0093] The communication unit 43 includes a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) and other components, and enables wireless communication with, for example, the server 10 via a communication network (not shown) according to standards such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G, 5G, or Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0094] The display unit 46 is composed of a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic electroluminescent panel. The display unit 46 displays an image after receiving an instruction from the control unit 41.

[0095] The input unit 47 consists of a physical switch called a numeric keypad or an input device (not shown) such as a touch panel superimposed on the display surface of the display unit 46.

[0096] Next, the details of the control unit 41 will be described. The control unit 41 is, for example, composed of a microprocessor having a CPU, RAM, ROM, and I / O. The CPU executes programs read from the ROM or storage unit 42. When executing each program, it reads information from the RAM, ROM, and storage unit 42, writes information to the RAM and storage unit 42, and exchanges signals with the communication unit 43, the display unit 46, and the input unit 47. Moreover, the processing in this embodiment is realized by the coordinated operation of hardware and software (programs).

[0097] like Figure 3 As shown, the control unit 41 includes a user information registration unit 411, a charging request unit 412, and a notification information acquisition unit 413.

[0098] As described above, the user information registration unit 411, via the input unit 47, pre-accepts information related to the user (such as name, address, email, etc.) and information related to the external power supply 20 (such as device name, manufacturing number, number of connection ports, etc.) based on the user's input operation, and registers it in the server 10 via the communication unit 43 to utilize the external power supply system 1.

[0099] As described above, when an electric vehicle 60 is assigned to the registered external power supply 20, the charging request unit 412 registers the charging request signal for the external power supply 20 in the server 10. Specifically, the charging request unit 412 registers the charging request signal in the server 10 via the communication unit 43. The charging request signal includes the charging location (address) input by the user via the input unit 47, the external power supply 20 to be charged, the charging time (charging start time, charging end time), and the SOC of the external power supply 20, etc.

[0100] The notification information acquisition unit 413 acquires the acceptance notification from the server 10. The notification information acquisition unit 413 may also utilize well-known functions such as push-based email or SNS to acquire the acceptance notification provided by the server 10. Furthermore, the notification information acquisition unit 413 acquires the power supply vehicle information (arrival time of electric vehicle 60, available SOC, vehicle ID, etc.) and provider information (provider's name, address, phone number, email address, etc.) included in the acceptance notification. Additionally, the notification information acquisition unit 413 may display the acquired acceptance notification on the display unit 46, and when a response is required, it acquires the user's response via the input unit 47 and sends it to the server 10.

[0101] <External power supply unit 20>

[0102] Figure 4 This diagram schematically illustrates a connection example of the external power supply 20, external load 30, and electric vehicle 60 in this embodiment. Figure 4 As shown, two electric vehicles 60a and 60b, which serve as power sources, are connected to the external power supply unit 20. Alternatively, three or more electric vehicles 60 can be connected to the external power supply unit 20.

[0103] like Figure 4 As shown, the external power supply 20 is connected to an external load 30 (e.g., electrical equipment in a residence or shelter during a disaster). When connected to the power supply port 65 of the electric vehicle 60, the external power supply 20 converts the DC power of the electric vehicle 60's (not shown) energy storage device into AC power and supplies the converted AC power to the external load 30.

[0104] Figure 5 This is a functional block diagram illustrating a functional configuration example of the external power supply 20 in this embodiment. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the external power supply unit 20 has n connection ports 21(1) to 21(n), a converter 23, a contactor 25, DC / DC circuits 27a and 27b, an inverter 29a and 29b, and a control unit 200 (n is an integer of 2 or more). Furthermore, Figure 5 The external power supply unit 20 has two DC / DC circuits 27 (27a, 27b) and two inverters 29 (29a, 29b), but is not limited thereto, and may have three or more DC / DC circuits 27 and three or more inverters 29.

[0105] Connection ports 21(1) to 21(n) are configured to be connected to power supply ports 65 of each electric vehicle 60 and to receive power from each electric vehicle 60.

[0106] In the following description, when the connection ports 21(1) to 21(n) are described without distinction, they are simply referred to as "connection port 21".

[0107] The converter 23, acting as an adjustment unit, adjusts the input DC power from each electric vehicle 60, which serves as a power supply source, to a preset specific voltage value based on the control instructions from the control unit 200, so that they are equal. That is, since the operation of the external power supply unit 20 becomes unstable when the voltage supplied to each electric vehicle 60 is different, the converter 23 can stabilize the operation of the external power supply unit 20 by adjusting the voltage to be equal.

[0108] Contactor 25, acting as a switching unit, is connected (ON) or disconnected (OFF) based on the control instruction of control unit 200 to supply DC power from the selected electric vehicle 60 among the electric vehicles 60 connected to connection port 21. Contactor 25 outputs DC power from the connected electric vehicle 60 to DC / DC circuits 27a, 27b.

[0109] DC / DC circuits 27a and 27b convert DC voltage based on the output of inverters 29a and 29b.

[0110] Inverters 29a and 29b convert DC power from electric vehicle 60 into AC power and supply the converted AC power to external load 30 (30a and 30b). Additionally, the output voltage of inverters 29a and 29b is, for example, 100V or 200V.

[0111] The control unit 200 is, for example, a microprocessor having a CPU, RAM, ROM, and I / O. The CPU executes programs read from the ROM, and while executing each program, it reads information from the RAM and ROM and writes information to the RAM. Moreover, the processing in this embodiment is achieved through the coordinated operation of hardware and software (programs).

[0112] like Figure 5 As shown, the control unit 200 includes a connection status acquisition unit 210 and a power supply status acquisition unit 220 as functional blocks.

[0113] The connection status acquisition unit 210 acquires the connection status of each connection port 21 with the electric vehicle 60 based, for example, a signal from a signal line (not shown) indicating the connection status with the power supply port 65 of the electric vehicle 60 provided for each connection port 21.

[0114] Based on the connection status obtained by the connection status acquisition unit 210, the power supply status acquisition unit 220 acquires the power supply status of the energy storage device (not shown) of the electric vehicle 60 (e.g., electric vehicle 60a) that is connected to the connection port 21 and is supplying power to the external power supply unit 20.

[0115] Specifically, the power supply status acquisition unit 220 may, for example, use a well-known method to acquire the SOC (battery charge) of the electric vehicle 60a's energy storage device (not shown) as the power supply status based on the voltage and current values ​​in the energy storage device (not shown) connected to the connection port 21.

[0116] Furthermore, the power supply status acquisition unit 220 can also calculate, via an input device (not shown) included in the external power supply unit 20, the remaining battery charge (SOC) required for the electric vehicle 60a to move to the charging infrastructure based on the distance to the charging infrastructure input by the user, and set it as a specific amount (threshold). Additionally, for example, when the external power supply unit 20 includes a communication unit (not shown) that communicates with the user terminal 40, the power supply status acquisition unit 220 can also obtain location information or distance of the charging infrastructure from the user terminal 40.

[0117] When the SOC (State of Charge) of the battery storage device (not shown) of electric vehicle 60a is below a certain amount, the power supply status acquisition unit 220 can also determine that it is switching to another electric vehicle 60 (e.g., electric vehicle 60b) connected to the connection port 21. Moreover, when it is determined that it is switching to electric vehicle 60b, the power supply status acquisition unit 220 can also turn on (connect) the contactor 25 of electric vehicle 60b and turn off (disconnect) the contactor 25 on the electric vehicle 60a side.

[0118] Subsequently, as described above, in order to move electric vehicle 60a to the charging infrastructure, the power supply port 65 of electric vehicle 60a is removed from connection port 21, and only electric vehicle 60b is connected to connection port 21. Therefore, there is no need for converter 23 to adjust the voltage from electric vehicle 60b to a specific value to make it equal, and the DC / DC circuits 27a and 27b are converted to be directly connected via contactor 25. As a result, losses in external power supply 20 can be reduced.

[0119] <Vehicle-mounted device 50>

[0120] The in-vehicle device 50 is a terminal used by the provider of the electric vehicle 60 to communicate with, for example, the server 10. As the in-vehicle device 50, a navigation device mounted on the electric vehicle 60, or a well-known terminal such as the provider's PC, tablet terminal, smartphone, or mobile terminal can be used.

[0121] exist Figure 6 The diagram shows a functional block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the vehicle-mounted device 50. For example... Figure 6 As shown, the vehicle-mounted device 50 is configured to include at least a control unit 51 and a storage unit 52, in addition to a communication unit 53, a sensor unit 54, a display unit 56 and an input unit 57.

[0122] Here, the control unit 51, storage unit 52, communication unit 53, display unit 56, and input unit 57 are implemented by hardware equivalent to the functional blocks with the same names included in the server 10, but their functions or uses are different from those of the server 10. Therefore, some repetitive explanations of the hardware are omitted, and the different functions or uses will be explained below.

[0123] The control unit 51 is composed of a computing device such as a microprocessor, and controls the various components constituting the vehicle-mounted device 50. Details of the control unit 51 will be described below.

[0124] The storage unit 52 is composed of a semiconductor memory and the like, and stores various programs such as control programs (called firmware or operating system), programs for path guidance processing, programs for sending location information to the server 10, programs for registering information related to the provider and information related to the electric vehicle 60 in the server 10, programs for retrieving information related to power supply requests from the server 10 and providing it to the provider, and other information such as map information. In the figure, information particularly related to the location information transmission processing, namely location information 521 and identification information 522, is shown as the information stored in the storage unit 52.

[0125] Location information 521 is the location information of the vehicle-mounted device 50 (i.e., the location information of the electric vehicle 60) located by the sensor unit 54 described below. Location information 521 includes not only information indicating the located location, but also the time (date and time information) when the location was located.

[0126] Furthermore, the identification information 522 is information used to identify the vehicle-mounted device 50. For example, the unique manufacturing number assigned to the vehicle-mounted device 50 can be used as the identification information 522. Alternatively, the telephone number assigned to the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) inserted into the communication unit 53 can be used as the identification information 522 to connect the communication unit 53 to a communication network (not shown) such as a mobile phone network. Furthermore, the unique VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) or license plate number assigned to the electric vehicle 60 can also be used as the identification information 522.

[0127] The information stored in storage unit 52 can be configured to be pre-stored in storage unit 52, or it can be configured to be appropriately downloaded from a server device (not shown) connected to a communication network (not shown) as needed. Furthermore, it can be appropriately modified based on input from the provider, etc.

[0128] The communication unit 53 has a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) and other components, and enables wireless communication with the server 10 via a communication network (not shown) according to standards such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G, 5G, or Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0129] The sensor unit 54 is composed of, for example, a Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor, a gyroscope sensor, and an accelerometer sensor. The sensor unit 54 has the function of detecting location information, using the GPS sensor to receive GPS satellite signals to locate the position information (latitude and longitude) of the vehicle-mounted device 50. The sensor unit 54 performs positioning at specific time intervals (e.g., 3-second intervals). The located location information is stored as location information 521 in the storage unit 52.

[0130] In addition, the sensor unit 54 can further improve the positioning accuracy of the vehicle-mounted device 50's position information based on the angular velocity or acceleration measured by the gyroscope sensor and the accelerometer sensor.

[0131] Furthermore, when GPS communication is difficult or impossible, the sensor unit 54 can also use Assisted Global Positioning System (AGPS) communication to calculate the location information of the vehicle-mounted device 50 based on the base station information obtained from the communication unit 53.

[0132] The display unit 56 is composed of a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic electroluminescent panel. The display unit 56 displays an image after receiving an instruction from the control unit 51.

[0133] The input unit 57 consists of a physical switch called a numeric keypad or an input device (not shown) such as a touch panel superimposed on the display surface of the display unit 56.

[0134] Next, the details of the control unit 51 will be described. The control unit 51 is, for example, a microprocessor having a CPU, RAM, ROM, and I / O. The CPU executes programs read from the ROM or storage unit 52. When executing each program, it reads information from the RAM, ROM, and storage unit 52, writes information to the RAM and storage unit 52, and exchanges signals with the communication unit 53, sensor unit 54, display unit 56, and input unit 57. Moreover, the processing in this embodiment is realized by the coordinated operation of hardware and software (programs).

[0135] like Figure 6 As shown, the control unit 51 includes a path guidance unit 511, a location information sending unit 512, a provider information registration unit 513, a power supply condition registration unit 514, and a power supply commission acquisition unit 515.

[0136] The path guidance unit 511 performs path guidance processing for destinations such as facilities input or selected by the provider.

[0137] The route guidance processing to the destination is the same as that in a typical car navigation system. Specifically, the route guidance unit 511 generates a map to the destination based on map information (not shown) stored in the storage unit 52. On this map, the current location of the vehicle-mounted device 50 located by the sensor unit 54, the destination location, and the route information to the destination are overlaid and displayed on the display unit 56, thereby providing route guidance. At this time, voice guidance for the route can also be output through a speaker (not shown). Furthermore, information such as road congestion or weather conditions can be obtained through communication via the communication unit 53, and this information can be used for route guidance processing.

[0138] Furthermore, since those skilled in the art are familiar with route guidance processing to a destination, its detailed description is omitted. Also, since those skilled in the art are also familiar with the map information used for route guidance processing, its detailed description and illustrations are omitted.

[0139] The location information sending unit 512 transmits the location information 521 and identification information 522 stored in the storage unit 52 to the server 10 by utilizing the wireless communication of the communication unit 53.

[0140] For example, when the vehicle-mounted device 50 is a navigation device, from the moment the provider of the electric vehicle 60 turns on the power switch and the vehicle-mounted device 50 automatically starts, until the power switch of the electric vehicle 60 is turned off, the location information transmitting unit 512 periodically sends location information 521 and identification information 522 to the server 10. For example, whenever the sensor 54 locates at a specific time interval (e.g., every 3 seconds), the information is sent in real time. Alternatively, multiple pieces of information (e.g., location information 521 and identification information 522 updated at 3-second intervals over 3 minutes) can be aggregated and sent to the server 10 all at once, instead of being sent to the server 10 in real time. That is, so-called burst transmission is also possible.

[0141] As described above, the provider information registration unit 513, via the input unit 57, pre-accepts information related to the provider (such as name, address, email, etc.) and information related to the electric vehicle 60 (such as vehicle model, license plate number, or vehicle ID of VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), etc.) based on the input operation performed by the provider, and registers them in the server 10 via the communication unit 53, so as to provide the provider's electric vehicle 60 to the external power supply system 1.

[0142] The power availability registration unit 514 acquires information such as the power availability area (current location), the state of charge (SOC) of the electric vehicle 60, and the charging time period of the electric vehicle 60 based on the input operation performed by the provider via the input unit 57. The power availability registration unit 514 sends the power availability signal, including the acquired information, to the server 10 via the communication unit 53, and registers the power availability signal in the server 10.

[0143] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the power availability registration unit 514 includes the State of Charge (SOC) of the electric vehicle 60 in the power availability condition signal, but it is not limited to this. The power availability registration unit 514 may also register power availability condition signals, including the power availability area (current location) and charging time period of the electric vehicle 60, in the server 10, in addition to the SOC of the electric vehicle 60. Moreover, when a power supply request notification is received from the server 10, the power availability registration unit 514 may also register the SOC of the electric vehicle 60 in the server 10 when sending an acceptance signal.

[0144] The power supply request acquisition unit 515 acquires a power supply request notification via the communication unit 53. The power supply request acquisition unit 515 may also acquire the power supply request notification from the server 10 using well-known functions such as push-type email or SNS. Furthermore, the power supply request acquisition unit 515 acquires the location (address) of the power supply recipient, the required power supply amount, the power supply start time, and charging infrastructure information (location (address), route, round-trip time) included in the power supply request notification. Additionally, the power supply request acquisition unit 515 may display the acquired power supply request notification on the display unit 56, and when a request is accepted (Reply), it acquires the request acceptance response (Reply) from the provider via the input unit 57 and sends the request acceptance signal to the server 10 via the communication unit 53.

[0145] <Electric Vehicles 60>

[0146] Electric vehicles 60a and 60b, which serve as power supply vehicles, are, for example, electric vehicles that include an energy storage device (not shown) and are capable of operating solely using the electricity stored in the energy storage device, and have a power supply port 65. Alternatively, electric vehicles 60a and 60b may also be hybrid vehicles capable of operating using both the electricity stored in the energy storage device (not shown) and the output of an engine (not shown), or fuel cell electric vehicles capable of operating using electricity generated from the chemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen in a fuel cell (not shown).

[0147] Furthermore, the energy storage device (not shown) is a rechargeable DC power source that stores electricity used to generate the driving force of the electric vehicle 60, such as a secondary battery like a lithium-ion battery or a nickel-metal hydride battery. The rated output voltage of this energy storage device is, for example, around 200V. Alternatively, this energy storage device could also be a large-capacity capacitor.

[0148] The power supply port 65 is configured to be connected to the connection port included in the external power supply unit 20, and is configured to provide power from the electric vehicle 60’s (not shown) energy storage device to the external power supply unit 20.

[0149] <The Actions of This Embodiment>

[0150] Next, refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 The flowchart below explains the operation of this embodiment. Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of confirming the power supply status of the electric vehicle 60a, which is currently receiving power. Furthermore, Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the actions involved in switching vehicles.

[0151] First, refer to Figure 7 The operation of using an external power supply unit 20 to confirm the power supply status of an electric vehicle 60a that is being supplied with power will be explained.

[0152] In step S11, the power supply status acquisition unit 220 acquires the distance from the input device (not shown) of the external power supply unit 20 or the user terminal 40 to the charging infrastructure.

[0153] In step S12, the power supply status acquisition unit 220 calculates the remaining battery capacity required for the electric vehicle 60a to move to the charging infrastructure based on the distance to the charging infrastructure acquired in step S11, and uses it as a specific quantity (threshold).

[0154] In step S13, the power supply status acquisition unit 220 calculates the SOC (battery charge) of the power storage device (not shown) of the electric vehicle 60a currently supplying power based on the voltage and current values ​​in the energy storage device (not shown) of the electric vehicle 60a connected to the connection port 21, and uses this as the power supply status.

[0155] In step S14, the power supply status acquisition unit 220 determines whether the SOC (battery charge balance) calculated in step S13 is below the threshold calculated in step S12. If the SOC is below the threshold (yes in step S14), the process proceeds to step S15. On the other hand, if the SOC exceeds the threshold (no in step S14), the process returns to step S13.

[0156] In step S15, the power supply status acquisition unit 220 performs a vehicle switching process to switch from the currently powered electric vehicle 60a to the electric vehicle 60b. The detailed process of the vehicle switching process will be described below.

[0157] Next, refer to Figure 8 The operation of switching the currently powered electric vehicle 60a to electric vehicle 60b using an external power supply 20 will be explained.

[0158] In step S21, the connection status acquisition unit 210 acquires the connection status of each connection port 21 with the electric vehicle 60, and confirms the connection of the electric vehicle 60b based on the acquired connection status.

[0159] In step S22, the converter 23 adjusts the output of DC power from electric vehicle 60a and the output of DC power from electric vehicle 60b to a preset specific voltage value based on the control instruction of the control unit 200, so that they are equal.

[0160] In step S23, the power supply status acquisition unit 220 connects (connects) the contactor 25 of the electric vehicle 60b.

[0161] In step S24, the power supply status acquisition unit 220 disconnects (cuts off) the contactor 25 on the electric vehicle 60a side.

[0162] In step S25, without the converter 23 adjusting the voltage from the electric vehicle 60b to a specific value, the DC / DC circuits 27a and 27b are switched to direct connection via contactor 25.

[0163] According to the operation of this embodiment described above, multiple electric vehicles alternately travel back and forth between the charging location of the external power supply and the charging infrastructure in a relay manner, depending on the distance to the charging infrastructure. Thus, even in the event of a disaster or in places without electrical facilities such as outdoors, power can be supplied to external loads without interruption.

[0164] <About Hardware and Software>

[0165] Furthermore, the various devices included in the aforementioned external power supply system can be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination thereof. Here, software implementation refers to implementation by a computer reading and executing a program.

[0166] Programs can be stored and supplied to a computer using various types of non-transitory computer-readable media. Non-transitory computer-readable media include various types of tangible storage media. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include magnetic recording media (e.g., floppy disks, magnetic tapes, hard disk drives), optical-magnetic recording media (e.g., magneto-optical disks), compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), compact disk-recordable (CD-R), compact disk-rewritable (CD-R / W), and semiconductor memories (e.g., mask ROM, programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), flash memory ROM, and random access memory (RAM)). Furthermore, programs can also be supplied to a computer using various types of transient computer-readable media. Examples of transient computer-readable media include electrical signals, optical signals, and electromagnetic waves. Temporary computer-readable media can deliver programs to a computer via wired communication paths such as wires and optical fibers, or via wireless communication paths.

[0167] <Variation Example 1>

[0168] The above-described embodiments are preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it can be implemented in various modified forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0169] For example, Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 The functional configuration described herein is merely an example and does not limit the functional configuration of this embodiment. That is, as long as each device has the overall capability to perform a series of processes related to the function of this invention, it is acceptable; the type of functional block used to implement this function is not particularly limited. Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 Examples.

[0170] For example, when the user of the external power supply 20 also owns the electric vehicle 60, the user can also become the provider of the electric vehicle 60. Therefore, the user terminal 40 can also have the function of the vehicle-mounted device 50. Thus, the user can use the external power supply system 1 to enable their electric vehicle 60 to supply power to the external power supply 20 and manage the charging timing of the electric vehicle 60.

[0171] Furthermore, when the administrator of the server 10 that provides the external power supply system 1 holds multiple electric vehicles 60, the administrator can become the provider of electric vehicles 60, and therefore the server 10 can also have the function of the vehicle-mounted device 50.

[0172] Furthermore, the above embodiments can be modified as described below. Additionally, the modifications described below can be further combined.

[0173] <Variation Example 2>

[0174] The system configuration described in the above embodiment is merely an example and can be modified as appropriate. For instance, in the above embodiment, server 10 was described as being implemented by a single server device, but the functions of server 10 can also be appropriately distributed across multiple server devices, thus implementing server 10 as a distributed processing system. Furthermore, the functions of server 10 can also be implemented in the cloud using virtual server functionality or the like.

[0175] <Variation Example 3>

[0176] The configuration of the vehicle-mounted device 50 in the above embodiment is just one example and can be modified accordingly. For example, in the above embodiment, a smartphone or similar device used by the provider can also function as the vehicle-mounted device 50. Thus, the server 10 can easily contact the provider and easily receive the acceptance signal from the electric vehicle 60.

[0177] <Variation Example 4>

[0178] The configuration of the external power supply unit 20 in the above embodiment is only an example and can be modified appropriately. For example, in the above embodiment, the external power supply unit 20 may also have the function of a user terminal 40. Thus, the external power supply unit 20 can obtain location information and distance of the charging infrastructure from the server 10.

[0179] <Variation Example 5>

[0180] The configuration of the electric vehicle 60 in the above embodiment is just an example and can be appropriately modified. For example, in the above embodiment, the electric vehicle 60 can also have an autonomous driving function. In this case, when the battery charge of the electric vehicle 60 is below a threshold, the external power supply 20 can automatically switch to another electric vehicle 60, and the electric vehicle 60 with the battery charge below the threshold can use autonomous driving to go to the charging infrastructure for charging. Thus, users can avoid the hassle of switching and use electricity without any pressure.

[0181] Figure Labels

[0182] 1. External power supply system

[0183] 10 servers

[0184] 20 External power supply units

[0185] 21(1)~21(n) connection ports

[0186] 23 Converters

[0187] 25 Contactor

[0188] 27a, 27b DC / DC circuits

[0189] 29a and 29b inverters

[0190] 30 External load

[0191] 40 User Terminals

[0192] 50a and 50b vehicle-mounted devices

[0193] Vehicles 60a and 60b

Claims

1. An external power supply unit, connectable to multiple mobile power supply sources as power sources, and comprising: Multiple connection ports are provided for connection to each of the aforementioned multiple mobile power supply sources. The connection status acquisition unit acquires the connection status of the power supply source mobile body with each of the aforementioned plurality of connection ports; The power supply status acquisition unit acquires the power supply status from the aforementioned plurality of mobile power supply sources, acquires the distance from the location of the aforementioned external power supply unit to the charging infrastructure, and calculates a specific amount of power reserve required for the mobile power supply source supplying the aforementioned external power supply unit to move to the aforementioned charging infrastructure; and, When the connection status acquisition unit detects that at least two or more power supply source mobile bodies are connected, the switching unit receives power from one of the connected power supply source mobile bodies. Based on the power supply status of the aforementioned power supply source mobile body obtained by the aforementioned power supply status acquisition unit and the aforementioned specific quantity, the switching unit switches to power supply from the aforementioned other power supply source mobile bodies.

2. The external power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein, It further includes an adjustment unit that adjusts the output from the aforementioned plurality of mobile power supply sources to a specific value. During the process of the aforementioned switching unit being powered by the aforementioned one power supply source at the aforementioned specific value, after the aforementioned other power supply source starts to supply power at the aforementioned specific value, the power supply from the aforementioned one power supply source is stopped.

3. The external power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein, The aforementioned power supply status acquisition unit obtains information on whether each of the aforementioned multiple power supply source mobile bodies can supply power based on the power reserve of each of the multiple power supply source mobile bodies. If the aforementioned power reserve is below a certain amount, it is determined that power supply is not possible. The aforementioned switching unit switches to be powered by a rechargeable power supply mobile body among the aforementioned plurality of power supply mobile bodies.

4. An external power supply system, comprising: The external power supply unit as described in claim 1; The user's terminal device for the aforementioned external power supply; Multiple mobile power supply sources; and, Management device; and, At least the aforementioned terminal device entrusts the aforementioned management device to arrange a mobile power supply source for the aforementioned external power supply unit. The aforementioned management device acquires the power supply condition signal of the aforementioned multiple power supply source mobile bodies and sends the power supply entrustment notification of the aforementioned external power supply unit to the aforementioned multiple power supply source mobile bodies.

Images