Electric vehicle charge port circuit fault detection system and method, computer readable storage medium, and vehicle

Abstract

The present application relates to an electric vehicle charging port circuit fault detection system, a fault detection method, and corresponding computer readable storage medium and vehicle. The electric vehicle charging port circuit includes a first charging bus and a second charging bus, both of which are conductive when the electric vehicle can be charged. According to one aspect of the present application, an electric vehicle charging port circuit fault detection system. The fault detection system includes a control module and a measurement module. The control module is configured to turn on the first charging bus in response to the electric vehicle meeting a first condition; the measurement module is configured to measure the voltage value of the second charging bus after the first charging bus is turned on. Wherein, the control module is further configured to determine whether the electric vehicle charging port circuit is short-circuited based on the measured voltage value of the second charging bus.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electric vehicle charging, and more specifically to a fault detection system and method for electric vehicle charging port circuits. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, charging buses connected to the charging ports of electric vehicles are widely used to charge the battery packs of electric vehicles. However, there is a risk of short circuits in the charging port circuit. Especially in fast charging mode, the charging bus is directly connected in parallel across the high-voltage battery pack. When connected to external charging facilities (such as charging piles), a short circuit in the charging port circuit can damage the battery pack and endanger high-voltage safety.

[0003] Current short-circuit protection methods involve installing fuses on the charging bus. When a short circuit occurs in the charging port circuit, the current is extremely large in the closed-circuit state, causing the fuse to blow and thus disconnecting the charging bus. However, using fuses is a reactive measure; a very large current has already been generated on the charging bus, damaging the battery pack and posing high-voltage safety risks. Furthermore, the use and replacement of fuses increase hardware and maintenance costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address or at least alleviate one or more of the above problems, the following technical solutions are provided.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a fault detection system for an electric vehicle charging port circuit is provided. The electric vehicle charging port circuit includes a first charging bus and a second charging bus, wherein the electric vehicle can be charged when both the first charging bus and the second charging bus are turned on. The fault detection system includes a control module and a measurement module. The control module is configured to turn on the first charging bus in response to the electric vehicle meeting a first condition; the measurement module is configured to measure the voltage value of the second charging bus after the first charging bus is turned on. The control module is further configured to determine whether the electric vehicle charging port circuit is short-circuited based on the measured voltage value of the second charging bus.

[0006] According to a fault detection system of an embodiment of the present invention, the first condition includes one or more of the following: the electric vehicle is in a parked state; the fault detection system is activated; the battery pack charge of the electric vehicle is lower than a predetermined value; the electric vehicle is located in a charging area.

[0007] According to a fault detection system of an embodiment of the present invention, the control module determines that there is a short circuit fault in the charging port circuit of the electric vehicle based on the measured voltage value of the second charging bus being higher than the short circuit threshold voltage.

[0008] According to a fault detection system of an embodiment of the present invention, the control module is further configured to disable the second charging bus based on the determination that a short circuit fault exists in the charging port circuit of the electric vehicle.

[0009] According to a fault detection system of an embodiment of the present invention, the first charging bus is provided with a first relay for its on and off, the second charging bus is provided with a second relay for its on and off, and the control module turns on the first charging bus by closing the first relay.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the fault detection system further includes: a monitoring module configured to monitor whether the electric vehicle has switched to a parking state, and to transmit information determining that the electric vehicle has switched to the parking state to the control module.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the fault detection system further includes: a notification module configured to notify the driver of the short circuit fault in response to the control module determining that a short circuit fault exists in the charging port circuit of the electric vehicle.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for detecting faults in the charging port circuit of an electric vehicle is provided. The charging port circuit includes a first charging bus and a second charging bus, wherein the electric vehicle can be charged when both the first and second charging buses are conducting. The method includes: determining that the electric vehicle meets a first condition; turning on the first charging bus; measuring the voltage value of the second charging bus; and determining whether the charging port circuit of the electric vehicle is short-circuited based on the measured voltage value of the second charging bus.

[0013] According to a fault detection method of an embodiment of the present invention, the first condition includes one or more of the following: the electric vehicle is in a parked state; the fault detection system is activated; the battery pack charge of the electric vehicle is lower than a predetermined value; the electric vehicle is located in a charging area.

[0014] According to a fault detection method of an embodiment of the present invention, determining whether the electric vehicle charging port circuit is short-circuited based on the measured voltage value of the second charging bus includes: determining that the electric vehicle charging port circuit has a short-circuit fault when the measured voltage value of the second charging bus is higher than the short-circuit threshold voltage.

[0015] According to a fault detection method of an embodiment of the present invention, the fault detection method further includes: prohibiting the conduction of the second charging bus based on determining that a short circuit fault exists in the charging port circuit of the electric vehicle.

[0016] According to a fault detection method of an embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes: notifying the driver of the short circuit fault in response to determining that a short circuit fault exists in the charging port circuit of the electric vehicle.

[0017] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided. The computer-readable storage medium includes instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform the fault detection method described in any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0018] According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes a fault detection system implemented according to any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0019] The fault detection method, system, computer-readable storage medium, and vehicle of the present invention can form an effective pre-emptive prevention mechanism for short-circuit faults in the charging port circuit, improve the safety of the charging port circuit and the charging process, and reduce the manufacturing and maintenance costs of the charging port circuit. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The above and / or other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become clearer and more readily understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the same or similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the drawings:

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a fault detection system 100 according to one or more embodiments of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a fast charging circuit 200 according to one or more embodiments of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of a fault detection method 300 according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the disclosed technology or its application and use. Furthermore, it is not intended to be bound by any express or implied theory presented in the foregoing technical fields, background art, or the following detailed description.

[0025] In the following detailed description of the embodiments, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the disclosed technology. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed technology can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description.

[0026] Terms such as “comprising” and “including” indicate that, in addition to the units and steps that are directly and explicitly stated in the specification, the technical solution of the present invention does not exclude the presence of other units and steps that are not directly or explicitly stated.

[0027] In the following, various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a fault detection system 100 for an electric vehicle charging port circuit according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. In an electric vehicle charging circuit, two charging buses are typically used to charge the battery pack; for example, one connects the charging port to the positive terminal of the battery pack, and the other connects the charging port to the negative terminal of the battery pack. The electric vehicle charging port circuit fault detection system 100 may include a control module and a measurement module. The control module is configured to turn on the first charging bus in response to the electric vehicle meeting a first condition. This first condition may be, for example, a prerequisite for determining whether to charge the battery pack. For instance, the first condition may be whether the battery level is below a predetermined threshold, thus requiring charging. When this condition is met, one charging bus can be turned on first, facilitating voltage measurement of the other charging bus. The measurement module is configured to measure the voltage value of the other charging bus after the first charging bus is turned on. At this time, the entire charging port circuit is not fully connected, and the battery pack is not in a charging state. Then, the control module is further configured to determine whether the electric vehicle charging port circuit is short-circuited based on the measured voltage value of the other charging bus. This is because, in a charging port circuit with a short circuit fault, if another charging bus is conducting, the non-conducting charging bus that is being measured will show a large voltage change. Thus, it is possible to determine whether there is a short circuit in the charging port circuit by determining whether the voltage change exceeds a certain threshold.

[0029] Therefore, it can be understood that the first condition for triggering the detection of whether the charging port circuit is short-circuited can be a condition related to determining whether the electric vehicle needs to be charged. In some examples, the first condition can be determining whether the electric vehicle is in a parked state, since the driver's purpose in parking may be related to the upcoming charging. In other examples, the first condition can also refer to an instruction issued by the operator / driver to actively detect whether the charging port circuit is faulty, i.e., the fault detection system is actively activated. In still other examples, the first condition can also be automatically triggered based on the electric vehicle's battery pack charge being lower than a predetermined value, since the vehicle will need to be charged in a short time, and the fault detection of the charging port circuit can be performed in advance. For example, the first condition can also be, for example, determining whether the electric vehicle is in a charging area based on a positioning system or sensing system, thus determining that the electric vehicle is about to be charged, and therefore performing fault detection of the charging port circuit in advance. Of course, the charging port detection triggering condition (i.e., the first condition) of the present invention is not limited to the types described and exemplified above, but any condition that can serve as a condition for determining that the vehicle is about to be charged can be used as the first condition.

[0030] Currently, there is a strong demand for faster charging in the electric vehicle industry, leading to the increasingly frequent use of fast charging ports. However, the probability of short circuits in fast charging ports is far higher than in other high-voltage components. Especially for electric vehicles where the fast charging bus is directly connected in parallel across the high-voltage battery pack, a short circuit at the fast charging port must be detected and prevented from connecting the entire fast charging circuit before it becomes fully operational. Otherwise, the high-voltage battery pack will short-circuit via the fast charging circuit, damaging both the battery pack and jeopardizing high-voltage safety. Therefore, setting the first condition can be more flexible to ensure efficient and high-frequency fault detection of the charging port circuit, providing a preventative mechanism against faults without the need for fuses, thus reducing hardware costs.

[0031] Based on the above first condition, in some embodiments, the fault detection system may further include a monitoring module. The monitoring module is configured to monitor whether the electric vehicle has switched to a parking state and transmit information confirming that the electric vehicle has switched to a parking state to the control module. Thus, the control module can determine that the electric vehicle meets the first condition.

[0032] Furthermore, the control module can determine that a short circuit fault exists in the electric vehicle's charging port circuit based on the measured voltage value of the second charging bus being higher than the short-circuit threshold voltage. In a fault-free charging port circuit, the closure of one charging bus does not affect the open-circuit voltage value (typically 0V) on the other charging bus. If a short circuit fault exists in the charging port circuit, the voltage value of the other charging bus will no longer be 0V, but may be, for example, half the battery pack voltage or other values ​​significantly different from 0V. Therefore, a predetermined judgment threshold (e.g., -5V to -5V) can be used to determine whether a short circuit fault exists based on whether the magnitude of the open-circuit voltage value of the other charging bus exceeds this threshold.

[0033] For example, Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a fast charging circuit 200 according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. Figure 2 In this circuit, the high-voltage battery pack voltage is exemplified as 400V, corresponding to two charging buses (each including a relay). The circuit includes a pair of battery pack-to-ground insulation resistors, a pair of fast-charging bus-to-ground voltage divider resistors, and a pair of fast-charging bus-to-ground measuring resistors. When both buses are conducting (i.e., both relays are closed), the fast-charging port rapidly charges the battery pack. If no short-circuit fault occurs at the charging port (fast-charging port), one of the charging buses will close when the first condition is met. Figure 2 When the fast charging positive relay is closed, keep the other charging bus open. Figure 2 (If the fast charging negative relay is disconnected, then...) Figure 2 The voltage measured by the measurement module at points A and B shows that the voltage of the closed charging bus can be, for example, 200V, while the voltage of the other charging bus should be around 0V. However, when there is a short circuit fault in the charging port circuit, when one charging bus is closed, the voltage of the other charging bus will no longer be 0V, and may be, for example, -200V.

[0034] In some embodiments, the control module can also be configured to disable the second charging bus based on the determination of a short-circuit fault in the electric vehicle charging port circuit. Since conducting both charging buses in a charging port circuit with a short circuit fault would lead to high-voltage electrical safety issues and damage to the battery pack and other circuit components, both charging buses can be disabled when the control module detects and determines a short-circuit fault. Furthermore, a notification module can be included in the fault detection system, configured to notify the driver of the short-circuit fault in response to the control module's determination of a short-circuit fault in the electric vehicle charging port circuit, thus reminding the driver to promptly troubleshoot the fault. The notification module can be implemented, for example, via SMS notification through a communication unit, display on the vehicle's center console interface, or an alarm bell.

[0035] Figure 3This is a flowchart of a fault detection method 300 according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. In the charging circuit of an electric vehicle, two charging buses are generally used to charge the battery pack, for example, one connecting the charging port to the positive terminal of the battery pack and the other connecting the charging port to the negative terminal of the battery pack. The electric vehicle charging port circuit fault detection method 300 includes: determining that the electric vehicle meets a first condition (310), which can be, for example, a prerequisite for determining whether the battery pack needs to be charged, such as whether the charge level is lower than a predetermined threshold and therefore charging is required; when this condition is met, one charging bus can be turned on first (320); then, the voltage of the other charging bus can be conveniently measured (330). Through the above steps, the entire charging port circuit is not fully turned on, and the battery pack is not in a charging state. Then, method 300 determines whether the electric vehicle charging port circuit is short-circuited based on the measured voltage value of the other charging bus (340). This is because, in a charging port circuit with a short circuit fault, if another charging bus is conducting, the non-conducting charging bus that is being measured will show a large voltage change. Thus, it is possible to determine whether there is a short circuit in the charging port circuit by determining whether the voltage change exceeds a certain threshold.

[0036] Therefore, it can be understood that the first condition for triggering the detection of whether the charging port circuit is short-circuited can be a condition related to determining whether the electric vehicle needs to be charged. In some examples, the first condition can be determining whether the electric vehicle is in a parked state, since the driver's purpose in parking may be related to the upcoming charging. In other examples, the first condition can also refer to an instruction issued by the operator / driver to actively detect whether the charging port circuit is faulty. In still other examples, the first condition can also be automatically triggered based on the electric vehicle's battery pack charge being lower than a predetermined value, since the vehicle will need to be charged in a short time, and the fault detection of the charging port circuit can be performed in advance. For example, the first condition can also be, for example, determining whether the electric vehicle is in a charging area based on a positioning system or sensing system, thus determining that the electric vehicle is about to be charged, and therefore performing fault detection of the charging port circuit in advance. Of course, the charging port detection triggering condition (i.e., the first condition) of the present invention is not limited to the types described and exemplified above, but any condition that can serve as a condition for determining that the vehicle is about to be charged can be used as the first condition.

[0037] Currently, there is a strong demand for faster charging in the electric vehicle industry, leading to the increasingly frequent use of fast charging ports. However, the probability of short circuits in fast charging ports is far higher than in other high-voltage components. Especially for electric vehicles where the fast charging bus is directly connected in parallel across the high-voltage battery pack, a short circuit at the fast charging port must be detected and prevented from connecting the entire fast charging circuit before it becomes fully operational. Otherwise, the high-voltage battery pack will short-circuit via the fast charging circuit, damaging both the battery pack and jeopardizing high-voltage safety. Therefore, setting the first condition can be more flexible to ensure efficient and high-frequency fault detection of the charging port circuit, providing a preventative mechanism against faults without the need for fuses, thus reducing hardware costs.

[0038] Based on the above first condition judgment, in some embodiments, the fault detection method may also first monitor whether the electric vehicle has switched to the parking state, and determine that the electric vehicle meets the first condition based on the information that the electric vehicle has switched to the parking state.

[0039] Furthermore, a short-circuit fault in the electric vehicle's charging port circuit can be determined based on the measured voltage value of the second charging bus being higher than the short-circuit threshold voltage. In a fault-free charging port circuit, the closure of one charging bus does not affect the open-circuit voltage value (typically 0V) on the other charging bus. If a short-circuit fault exists in the charging port circuit, the voltage value of the other charging bus will no longer be 0V, but may be, for example, half the battery pack voltage or other values ​​significantly different from 0V. Therefore, a predetermined judgment threshold (e.g., -5V to -5V) can be used to determine whether a short-circuit fault exists based on whether the magnitude of the open-circuit voltage value of the other charging bus exceeds this threshold.

[0040] In some embodiments, the fault detection method 300 can also prevent the second charging bus from being connected based on the determination that a short circuit fault exists in the electric vehicle charging port circuit. Since both charging buses being connected in a charging port circuit with a short circuit fault would lead to high-voltage electrical safety issues and damage to the battery pack and other circuit components, both charging buses can be prevented from being connected when a short circuit fault is detected and determined. Furthermore, a notification step may be included, i.e., in response to the determination that a short circuit fault exists in the electric vehicle charging port circuit, the driver is notified of the short circuit fault to remind the driver to promptly troubleshoot the fault. The notification step can be implemented, for example, by notifying the driver via SMS through a communication unit, displaying it through the vehicle's central control interface, or using an alarm bell.

[0041] On the other hand, as described above, the present invention can also be implemented as a system storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform any of the fault detection methods 300 described above. The computer-readable medium referred to in this application includes various types of computer storage media, and can be any available medium accessible to a general-purpose or special-purpose computer. For example, a computer-readable medium may include RAM, ROM, EPROM, E... 2 PROM, registers, hard disks, removable disks, CD-ROMs or other optical disc storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other temporary or non-temporary medium capable of carrying or storing desired units of program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer, or a general-purpose or special-purpose processor. As used herein, disks typically magnetically copy data, while discs optically copy data using lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor so that the processor can read and write information from / to the storage medium. In an alternative, the storage medium may be integrated into the processor. The processor and storage medium may reside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. In an alternative, the processor and storage medium may reside as discrete components in the user terminal.

[0042] In another aspect, the present invention also provides a vehicle that may include any of the fault detection systems 100 described above. The term "vehicle" as used in this application is intended to refer to any suitable vehicle having a drive system, such as a hybrid electric vehicle, an electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, and the like.

[0043] The embodiments and examples presented herein are provided to best illustrate embodiments of the invention and its particular applications, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to practice and use the invention. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the above description and examples are provided merely for ease of illustration and example. The descriptions presented are not intended to cover all aspects of the invention or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed.

Claims

1. A fault detection system for the charging port circuit of an electric vehicle, characterized in that, The electric vehicle charging port circuit includes a first charging bus and a second charging bus. When both the first charging bus and the second charging bus are conducting, the electric vehicle can be charged. The fault detection system includes: The control module is configured to turn on the first charging bus in response to the electric vehicle meeting a first condition; The measurement module is configured to measure the voltage value of the second charging bus after the first charging bus is turned on; The control module is further configured to determine whether the electric vehicle charging port circuit is short-circuited based on the measured voltage value of the second charging bus, and to disable the second charging bus based on the determination that a short-circuit fault exists in the electric vehicle charging port circuit. Furthermore, the first condition is related to the charging needs of the electric vehicle and includes one or more of the following: the electric vehicle is in a parked state; the fault detection system is activated; the battery pack charge of the electric vehicle is lower than a predetermined value; the electric vehicle is located in a charging area.

2. The fault detection system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control module determines that there is a short circuit fault in the electric vehicle charging port circuit based on the measured voltage value of the second charging bus being higher than the short circuit threshold voltage.

3. The fault detection system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first charging bus is provided with a first relay for turning it on and off, and the second charging bus is provided with a second relay for turning it on and off. The control module turns on the first charging bus by closing the first relay.

4. The fault detection system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fault detection system also includes: The monitoring module is configured to monitor whether the electric vehicle has switched to the parking state, and transmit the information confirming that the electric vehicle has switched to the parking state to the control module.

5. The fault detection system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fault detection system also includes: The notification module is configured to notify the driver of the short circuit fault in response to the control module determining that there is a short circuit fault in the charging port circuit of the electric vehicle.

6. A method for detecting circuit faults in the charging port of an electric vehicle, characterized in that, The electric vehicle charging port circuit includes a first charging bus and a second charging bus. When both the first charging bus and the second charging bus are connected, the electric vehicle can be charged. The method includes the following steps: The electric vehicle is determined to meet the first condition; Turn on the first charging bus; Measure the voltage value of the second charging bus; The short circuit of the electric vehicle charging port circuit is determined based on the measured voltage value of the second charging bus. The second charging bus is prohibited from being connected based on the determination that there is a short circuit fault in the charging port circuit of the electric vehicle. The first condition is related to the charging needs of the electric vehicle and includes one or more of the following: the electric vehicle is in a parked state; the fault detection system is activated; the battery pack charge of the electric vehicle is lower than a predetermined value; the electric vehicle is located in a charging area.

7. The fault detection method according to claim 6, characterized in that, Determining whether the electric vehicle charging port circuit is short-circuited based on the measured voltage value of the second charging bus includes: When the measured voltage value of the second charging bus is higher than the short-circuit threshold voltage, it is determined that there is a short-circuit fault in the charging port circuit of the electric vehicle.

8. The fault detection method according to claim 6, characterized in that, Also includes: In response to determining that a short circuit fault exists in the charging port circuit of the electric vehicle, the driver is notified of the short circuit fault.

9. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium includes instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform the fault detection method according to any one of claims 6-8.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle includes a fault detection system according to any one of claims 1-5.

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