An Electric Vehicle Charging Method, Device and System Based on Remote Rate Issuance

Abstract

The present application discloses an electric vehicle charging method, device and system based on remote rate distribution. By using a mobile terminal as a communication bridge between an offline charging pile and a cloud server, first, the mobile terminal obtains the device identification of the target charging pile and the pile-end rate information and sends them to the cloud server. The cloud server can then confirm whether there is an inconsistency between the pile-end rate information and the charging rate information in the cloud rate list. If there is an inconsistency, the cloud server can send the latest charging rate information to the mobile terminal, and the mobile terminal then sends the latest charging rate information to the target charging pile, so that the target charging pile can complete the update of the charging rate and charge and bill at the latest charging rate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of charging control, specifically to a method, apparatus, and system for charging electric vehicles based on remote rate disbursement. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing popularity of new energy electric vehicles, charging stations for these vehicles have also seen significant development. A charging station refers to a facility with clustered charging piles, capable of providing simultaneous charging for multiple vehicles. It typically connects to the power grid through a dedicated distribution box, which supplies power to each charging pile within the station. Generally, each charging pile has at least one charging gun. After the user inserts the charging gun into the electric vehicle's charging port, the charging pile receives the corresponding user command and controls the charging gun to begin charging the electric vehicle. Typically, charging piles also communicate with a cloud server. Users can establish a connection with a specific charging pile through their smart terminals, enabling functions such as initiating charging, order settlement, and payment. However, in certain special circumstances, such as to reduce costs or due to limitations in site network conditions, charging piles may be offline, meaning they are disconnected from the cloud server. These offline charging piles are referred to as "offline charging piles."

[0003] When maintaining offline charging stations, such as adjusting charging rates, maintenance personnel need to operate the charging stations on-site. This can be done by clicking on the charging station's touchscreen or using tools to update the charging station's parameters. This is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive but also affects users' normal charging. For charging stations that are currently charging, maintenance can only be carried out after charging is completed, which is very inconvenient. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to overcome the aforementioned defects or problems in the prior art and to provide a method, device and system for charging electric vehicles based on remote rate distribution, which can solve or improve the problem of inconvenient maintenance of offline charging piles mentioned in the prior art solutions.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the following technical solution is adopted:

[0006] The first technical solution relates to a method for charging electric vehicles based on remote rate distribution, comprising the following steps: a mobile terminal establishes near-field communication with a target charging pile, and when the mobile terminal is online and the target charging pile is offline, sends a rate confirmation request instruction to a cloud server, including the device identifier and charging pile rate information of the target charging pile; after receiving the rate confirmation request instruction, the cloud server compares it with a cloud rate list containing charging rate information of each charging pile corresponding to the cloud server, and when the charging pile rate information of the target charging pile is inconsistent with the charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile in the cloud rate list, sends a charging pile rate confirmation request instruction to the mobile terminal, including the charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile. Rate update instruction; the cloud rate list is pre-stored in the cloud server and updated by the cloud server according to the cloud rate update instruction sent by the host device, which includes charging rate information of at least one charging pile; after receiving the charging pile rate update instruction, the mobile terminal sends a local rate update instruction to the target charging pile, which includes charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile; the target charging pile updates the pre-stored charging pile rate information according to the local rate update instruction and sends a rate update completion instruction to the mobile terminal after the update is completed; after receiving the rate update completion instruction, the mobile terminal sends a charging start instruction to the target charging pile, which instructs the target charging pile to start charging with the current charging pile rate information.

[0007] The second technical solution is based on the first technical solution. In this solution, the mobile terminal is online while the target charging pile is offline. When the cloud server confirms that the charging rate information of the target charging pile matches the charging rate information of the target charging pile in the cloud rate list, the mobile terminal sends a rate confirmation command to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal receives the rate confirmation command and sends a charging start command to the target charging pile.

[0008] The third technical solution is based on the first technical solution. In this solution, when the mobile terminal is online and the target charging pile is online, it sends a charging confirmation command to the target charging pile. Upon receiving the charging confirmation command, the target charging pile sends a rate confirmation request command to the cloud server. Upon receiving the rate confirmation request command, if the charging rate information at the target charging pile is inconsistent with the charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile in the cloud rate list, the cloud server sends a local rate update command containing the corresponding charging rate information to the target charging pile. Upon receiving the local rate update command, the target charging pile updates the pre-stored charging rate information and starts charging with the current charging rate information after the update is completed.

[0009] The fourth technical solution is based on the third technical solution, wherein the mobile terminal is online and the target charging pile is online, and when the cloud server confirms that the charging rate information of the target charging pile is consistent with the charging rate information of the target charging pile in the cloud rate list, it sends a rate confirmation instruction to the target charging pile; the target charging pile receives the rate confirmation instruction and starts charging with the current charging rate information.

[0010] The fifth technical solution is based on the first technical solution, wherein the mobile terminal stores charging user information, and the charging user information includes at least an account balance that can be used to pay charging fees; the charging start command sent by the mobile terminal to the target charging pile includes the account balance corresponding to the mobile terminal; after receiving the charging start command, the target charging pile calculates charges in real time during the charging process and generates charging order information; the charging order information includes charging fees, and the target charging pile stops charging when the charging fees equal the account balance.

[0011] The sixth technical solution is based on the fifth technical solution. In this solution, the target charging pile predicts the theoretical full charge amount within a preset time after charging begins. When the received account balance is less than the theoretical full charge amount, the target charging pile sends an amount notification message including the theoretical full charge amount to the mobile terminal. Upon receiving the amount notification message, the mobile terminal indicates that the current account balance is insufficient. When the account balance in the user's stored charging information changes, the mobile terminal sends a balance update instruction to the target charging pile, including the changed account balance. The target charging pile obtains the latest account balance based on the balance update instruction and stops charging when the charging fee equals the account balance or when the battery is fully charged.

[0012] The seventh technical solution is based on the first technical solution, wherein, when the mobile terminal is offline and the target charging pile is offline, it sends a charging start command to the target charging pile; the mobile terminal stores charging user information, which includes at least an account balance that can be used to pay for charging fees; the charging start command sent by the mobile terminal to the target charging pile includes the account balance corresponding to the mobile terminal; after receiving the charging start command, the target charging pile starts charging, calculates charges in real time and generates charging order information during the charging process, and sends the charging pile rate information and the predicted theoretical full charge amount to the mobile terminal; when the mobile terminal switches from its own network status to online, it sends an offline rate confirmation command including charging pile rate information to the cloud server; the cloud server receives the offline rate confirmation command and, upon checking the charging information of the charging pile and the charging information of the target charging pile in the cloud rate list, confirms the charging status of the target charging pile. When the rate information is inconsistent, an offline rate update instruction including the charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile is sent to the mobile terminal; the mobile terminal updates the theoretical full charge amount according to the offline rate update instruction, and prompts that the current account balance is insufficient when the updated theoretical full charge amount is less than its corresponding account balance; when the mobile terminal receives the offline rate update instruction and re-establishes near-field communication with the target charging pile, it sends a local rate update instruction including the charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile to the target charging pile; the target charging pile updates the pre-stored charging pile-end rate information according to the local rate update instruction, and updates the charging order information according to the new charging pile-end rate information; when the account balance in the mobile terminal's stored charging user information changes, it sends a balance update instruction including the changed account balance to the target charging pile, and the target charging pile updates the account balance according to the balance update instruction;

[0013] The target charging pile stops charging when the charging fee in the charging order information equals its current account balance or when the battery is fully charged.

[0014] The eighth technical solution is based on the sixth or seventh technical solution, wherein the target charging pile predicts the theoretical full charge amount through the following steps: predicting the theoretical full charge amount and theoretical full charge time based on the rate of increase of the charging current of the target charging pile within a preset time, and calculating the theoretical full charge amount based on the pile end rate information, the theoretical full charge current and the theoretical full charge time.

[0015] The ninth technical solution relates to a charging device for an electric vehicle, including a charging pile and a controller; the controller includes a memory and a processor, the memory storing a computer program running on the processor, and the processor executing the computer program to implement the steps of the charging method described in any of the first to eighth technical solutions above.

[0016] The tenth technical solution relates to a charging system for electric vehicles, comprising a host device, a cloud server, a mobile terminal, and a charging pile; the host device is used to send a cloud-based rate update instruction to the cloud server; the cloud-based rate update instruction includes charging rate information for at least one charging pile; the mobile terminal is used to establish near-field communication with a target charging pile, and when the target charging pile is offline, sends a rate confirmation request instruction to the cloud server including the device identifier and charging pile rate information of the target charging pile; the cloud server is used to receive the cloud-based rate update instruction and update a pre-stored cloud-based rate list accordingly; the cloud server is also used to receive the rate confirmation request instruction and compare it with a cloud-based rate list including charging rate information for each charging pile corresponding to the cloud server. When the charging rate information at the target charging pile is inconsistent with the charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile in the cloud rate list, a charging rate update instruction including the charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile is sent to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal is also used to receive the charging rate update instruction and send a local rate update instruction including the charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile to the target charging pile. The target charging pile updates the pre-stored charging rate information according to the local rate update instruction and sends a rate update completion instruction to the mobile terminal after the update is completed. The mobile terminal is also used to receive the rate update completion instruction and send a charging start instruction to the target charging pile, the charging start instruction being used to instruct the target charging pile to start charging with the current charging rate information.

[0017] Compared with existing technologies, the above solution has the following advantages:

[0018] In the electric vehicle charging method based on remote rate distribution provided by this invention, a cloud server stores a cloud rate list. Staff can send a cloud rate update command to the cloud server through a host device. After receiving the cloud rate update command, the cloud server can update the contents of its stored cloud rate list. The updated content may include charging rate information corresponding to each charging pile, such as the specific charging rate of a certain charging pile in different time periods. This rate update process can be carried out when the rate changes to ensure that the cloud rate list in the cloud server is up-to-date.

[0019] The user's mobile terminal can establish near-field communication with the target charging pile by scanning a QR code or other means. The target charging pile is the charging pile that the user finds and intends to use for charging. After establishing near-field communication, the mobile terminal first confirms its own network status and the target charging pile's network status. When the user is online and the target charging pile is offline, the mobile terminal obtains the target charging pile's device identifier and charging rate information. The device identifier is used to mark the charging pile to indicate its identity, and the charging rate information records the rate information used for billing during charging. The mobile terminal sends a rate confirmation request command containing the target charging pile's device identifier and charging rate information to the cloud server. The cloud server compares this with the charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile in the cloud rate list. If there is a discrepancy, the cloud server sends a charging rate update command containing the charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal then sends a local rate update command to the target charging pile, and the target charging pile updates its pre-stored charging rate information according to the local rate update command.

[0020] The significance of the above steps lies in the fact that charging station rate information may need to be adjusted or modified. In existing technologies, when the target charging station is offline, the charging station rate information can only be modified through offline operations by staff, resulting in low efficiency in adjusting and modifying the charging station rate information. This invention uses a mobile terminal as a communication bridge between the offline charging station and the cloud server. First, the mobile terminal obtains the device identifier and charging station rate information of the target charging station and sends it to the cloud server. The cloud server can then confirm whether the charging station rate information is inconsistent with the charging rate information in the cloud rate list. If there is an inconsistency, it can send the latest information to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal then sends the latest charging rate information to the target charging pile, enabling the target charging pile to update its charging rate. Since this process is repeated before each user starts charging, it ensures that the charging pile always charges at the latest rate. Furthermore, even during charging, staff can directly send new charging rates to the cloud server. While the charging pile won't update its rate information at this time, it will receive the latest rate information the next time it charges, thus achieving the effect of updating the charging rate during charging.

[0021] After the target charging pile updates the pre-stored charging rate information, it needs to send a rate update completion command to the mobile terminal. Then, the mobile terminal sends a charging start command to the target charging pile, and the target charging pile starts charging accordingly. At this time, the charging rate information used by the target charging pile is the latest charging rate information.

[0022] When the cloud server confirms that the charging rate information of the target charging pile is consistent with the charging rate information of the corresponding target charging pile in the cloud rate list, it means that the charging rate information of the target charging pile is also up-to-date. At this time, the charging start command can be sent directly to the target charging pile through the mobile terminal. There is no need to update the charging rate information at this time, and the target charging pile can charge with the latest charging rate information.

[0023] When the target charging station is online, it does not need to use a mobile terminal as a communication bridge. When the mobile terminal sends a charging confirmation command to it, the target charging station can automatically establish communication with the cloud server and update its own charging station rate information if the two rate information are inconsistent. After the update is completed, it can automatically start charging with the latest charging rate. If the two rate information are consistent, the target charging station can automatically start charging with the current charging station rate information.

[0024] In addition, the mobile terminal stores charging user information. When the mobile terminal sends a charging start command to the target charging station, it also sends the charging user information to the target charging station. The target charging station can then obtain the account balance of the corresponding charging user, which is used to pay for charging. During the charging process, the target charging station can bill in real time according to the current charging rate and generate charging order information in real time. The charging fee in the charging order information represents the charging fee amount at this moment. When the charging fee equals the account balance, it means that the charging user's account balance can no longer support charging, so charging will stop at this time. At the same time, the target charging station can also predict the theoretical full charge amount within a preset time after charging starts. When the account balance received by the target charging station is less than the theoretical full charge amount, the mobile terminal will prompt that the current account balance is insufficient after receiving the amount prompt information. Then, the mobile terminal will wait for the charging user to recharge. After the recharge is completed, the account balance changes, and the mobile terminal will send the changed account balance to the target charging station. The target charging station can then calculate when to stop charging based on the latest account balance, or it can stop charging when the account is fully charged but there is still a certain amount left in the account balance. By alerting charging users to insufficient account balance, users can top up their accounts with enough funds to cover the charge at the start of the charging process, preventing situations where users find that their account balance is insufficient when they want to finish charging, resulting in the charging amount not reaching the expected level.

[0025] Meanwhile, in actual use, due to poor network signal in the underground parking garage where the charging station is located, the mobile terminal may also go offline. In this case, the charging station cannot update its charging rate through the mobile terminal. In this situation, the mobile terminal can first send a charging start command to the target charging station. After receiving the command, the target charging station will start charging and billing according to its own charging rate information, and send the predicted theoretical full charge amount to the mobile terminal within a preset time after charging begins. When the mobile terminal reconnects to the network, it will send an offline rate confirmation command containing the charging rate information to the cloud server. The cloud server will then determine whether the charging rate information matches the charging rate information in the cloud rate list. If they do not match, it will send a confirmation command to the cloud server. The mobile terminal sends the latest charging rate information and determines whether its current account balance is sufficient to fully charge the battery. If not, it issues a low balance warning, prompting the user to top up their account while connected to the internet. Once the mobile terminal returns to the underground parking garage and establishes near-field communication with the target charging station, it sends the latest charging rate information to the station, updating the rate. The mobile terminal can also send the new account balance to the charging station after the user tops up. The charging station can then calculate when to stop charging, either when the battery is fully charged but a certain amount remains in the account. Through these steps, even if the user's mobile terminal is offline, the charging station's normal charging and accurate billing will not be affected.

[0026] Among them, the target charging pile can predict the theoretical full charge capacity and theoretical full charge time by the rate of increase of its charging current within a preset time, and then calculate the theoretical full charge amount based on the current charging pile fee information.

[0027] The present invention also provides a charging device and a charging system for electric vehicles, which can realize the above-mentioned charging method through a host device, a cloud server, a mobile terminal and a charging pile. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments, the accompanying drawings used are briefly described below:

[0029] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating an embodiment of an electric vehicle charging method based on remote rate dissemination provided by the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0030] In the claims and description, unless otherwise specified, the terms "comprising," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to."

[0031] It should be noted that the key point of this invention is that the charging rates of operational charging piles need to be adjusted according to actual conditions, such as adjusting the charging rates in different quarters based on factors such as electricity prices. When charging piles are offline or in a de-networked state, staff need to adjust the charging rates of each charging pile on-site, which is very inefficient. Therefore, the charging method provided by this invention allows the latest charging rates from the cloud server to be obtained via a mobile terminal and sent to the charging piles for updates, even when the charging piles are offline. This ensures that the pre-stored charging rates of each charging pile are up-to-date before each charging session. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for staff to adjust the charging rates of each charging pile on-site; only the charging rates of each charging pile in the cloud server need to be modified.

[0032] The technical solutions in the embodiments will now be described clearly and completely with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] Example 1

[0034] Reference Figure 1 This embodiment provides a charging method for electric vehicles based on remote rate distribution. This charging method is applied to operational charging equipment in underground garages, charging stations or other locations. The charging equipment can be a charging pile, which is equipped with a charging gun. The charging gun is used to connect to the charging port of the electric vehicle and charge the battery of the electric vehicle.

[0035] The above charging method includes the following steps:

[0036] Step S110: The mobile terminal establishes near-field communication with the target charging pile, and when its own network status is online and the target charging pile's network status is offline, it sends a rate confirmation request instruction to the cloud server, which includes the device identifier of the target charging pile and the charging pile's rate information.

[0037] The charging pile itself has pre-stored equipment identification and charging rate information. The equipment identification is used to mark the identity of the charging pile, and it can be a specific code that can distinguish the charging pile from other charging piles. The charging rate information is used to indicate the charging rate used by the charging pile in different time periods, and it can be in the following form:

[0038]

[0039] Charging stations used in operations need to have their charging rates adjusted according to actual conditions. For example, charging rates may be adjusted in different quarters based on factors such as electricity prices. When a charging station is located in a relatively enclosed location such as an underground parking garage, or due to communication module failure or lack of network connectivity, it can be considered offline. Adjusting the charging rate for offline charging stations is very inconvenient, requiring staff to operate the charging station on-site. This increases labor costs and leads to untimely updates to charging rates. Furthermore, if the charging station is charging, staff cannot adjust the charging rate until it stops charging, further increasing labor costs and reducing efficiency.

[0040] Therefore, this embodiment improves the charging pile by incorporating a built-in communication chip capable of communicating with mobile terminals. This chip can support communication methods such as Bluetooth or ZigBee, which directly establish communication between two terminal devices. In this embodiment, Bluetooth is used as the communication method. Specifically, a QR code can be placed on the casing of the offline charging pile or displayed on its screen. This QR code includes the Bluetooth pairing information of the offline charging pile, allowing the mobile terminal to establish communication with it by scanning the QR code.

[0041] The mobile terminal is equipped with an application. The mobile terminal can be a smartphone, smartwatch, or other smart device capable of loading applications. It should be portable and have a communication module corresponding to the offline charging station; in this embodiment, it is a Bluetooth communication module. The application loaded on the mobile terminal can be a local application, or a WeChat mini-program, Alipay mini-program, or other quick app type program. Regardless of the type of application, it should be able to access the mobile terminal's camera or other recording device. It can scan the QR code on the offline charging station by using the camera, thereby enabling the mobile terminal to quickly establish communication with the offline charging station. Furthermore, the application can generate data information and drive the mobile terminal's communication module to send the data information as a message to the offline charging station. Typically, the application allows users to log in to their accounts and displays the user's current account balance after login. This account balance is used to pay charging fees, and users can recharge their accounts.

[0042] When the mobile terminal is online, it first establishes near-field communication with the offline target charging pile, for example, through Bluetooth. The target charging pile here refers to the charging pile confirmed by the charging user. It is the same as other charging piles and is referred to as the target charging pile to distinguish it from other charging piles not used by the charging user.

[0043] After establishing near-field communication, the target charging pile sends its own device identifier and charging rate information to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal integrates the two and sends a rate confirmation request command to the cloud server. At this time, the rate confirmation request command includes not only the charging rate information mentioned above, but also the device identifier used to mark the target charging pile, which can be in the following form:

[0044]

[0045] Once the cloud server receives the rate confirmation request instruction, it can obtain the device identifier and charging rate information of the target charging pile.

[0046] Step S120: After receiving the rate confirmation request instruction, the cloud server compares it with the cloud rate list, which includes charging rate information for each charging pile corresponding to the cloud server. If the charging rate information of the target charging pile is inconsistent with the charging rate information in the cloud rate list corresponding to the target charging pile, the cloud server sends a charging rate update instruction, which includes charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile, to the mobile terminal.

[0047] The cloud rate list is pre-stored on the cloud server and is updated by the cloud server according to the cloud rate update command sent by the host device, which includes charging rate information for at least one charging pile.

[0048] This section will first explain the update of the cloud rate list.

[0049] The cloud server stores a cloud-based rate list, which includes device identification information and charging rate information for multiple charging piles. This list can take the following forms:

[0050]

[0051] This cloud-based rate list provides information on the charging rates for each charging station at different times. When adjustments or modifications to the charging rates for one or more charging stations are needed, staff can modify the cloud-based rate list via a host device. This host device can be a computer that communicates with the cloud server and has modification permissions. After editing the charging rates for one or more charging stations through a corresponding human-computer interaction interface, a corresponding cloud rate update command is generated and sent to the cloud server. Upon receiving the command, the cloud server updates its pre-stored cloud rate list according to the command content. Clearly, the update of the cloud rate list is not affected by the charging station's usage status; even when a charging station is charging, the latest charging rates can still be sent to the cloud server.

[0052] After receiving a rate confirmation request from the mobile terminal, the cloud server compares it with its stored cloud rate list. First, it searches the cloud rate list based on the device identifier in the request. Once the corresponding data row is found, it compares the charging rate information in the request with the corresponding charging rate information in the cloud rate list. If they are inconsistent, it means the current charging rate information is outdated and needs to be updated. The cloud server then generates a charging rate update command with the corresponding charging rate information for the target charging pile and sends it to the mobile terminal. Upon receiving the update command, the mobile terminal can obtain the latest applicable charging rate information for the target charging pile.

[0053] Of course, there is another scenario: when the cloud server determines that the charging rate information at the target charging pile matches the corresponding charging rate information in the cloud rate list, the cloud server can send a rate confirmation command to the mobile terminal. Upon receiving this command, the mobile terminal sends a charging start command to the target charging pile. In this case, since the charging rate information at the target charging pile matches the charging rate information in the cloud rate list, there is no need to update the charging pile's rate information, and charging can be started directly.

[0054] Step S130: After receiving the charging station rate update instruction, the mobile terminal sends a local rate update instruction to the target charging station, which includes charging rate information corresponding to the target charging station. The target charging station updates the pre-stored charging station rate information according to the local rate update instruction and sends a rate update completion instruction to the mobile terminal after the update is completed.

[0055] After receiving a charging station rate update command, the mobile terminal sends a local rate update command to the target charging station. This command includes the latest charging rate information for that station. The target charging station then updates its pre-stored rate information based on this command and sends a rate update completion command to the mobile terminal. Once the update is complete, subsequent charging billing for the target charging station is calculated based on the latest rate information. The rate update completion command informs the mobile terminal that the update is complete, preventing charging from being impossible due to software malfunctions or other reasons.

[0056] Step S140: After receiving the rate update completion instruction, the mobile terminal sends a charging start instruction to the target charging pile. The charging start instruction is used to instruct the target charging pile to start charging with the current charging pile rate information.

[0057] Upon receiving the rate update completion instruction, the mobile terminal knows that the target charging station has completed the rate update and can calculate fees based on the latest rate. Therefore, it can send a charging start instruction to the target charging station. Upon receiving the instruction, the charging station initiates charging and bills according to the latest rate. During this process, the mobile terminal can also prompt the user, indicating that the latest rate is now available. The user can then confirm charging through the user interface, and the mobile terminal will then issue the charging start instruction accordingly.

[0058] The mobile terminal also stores charging user information, which includes at least the account balance available for paying charging fees. The charging start command sent by the mobile terminal to the target charging station also includes the corresponding account balance. After receiving the charging start command (i.e., after step S140 above), the target charging station proceeds to step S150: Upon receiving the charging start command, the target charging station calculates charges in real time during the charging process and generates charging order information. The charging order information includes the charging fee, and the target charging station stops charging when the charging fee equals the account balance.

[0059] Specifically, after charging begins, the target charging station can calculate charges in real time based on the latest charging rate information and generate charging order information in real time. The charging order information includes the charging cost at the current moment. If the charging cost increases over time to equal the account balance, it indicates that the user does not have sufficient account balance for charging, and the target charging station can stop charging at this point. After stopping charging, the target charging station can generate order settlement information. When the user returns to the vicinity of the target charging station and re-establishes near-field communication between their mobile terminal and the target charging station, the target charging station sends the order settlement information to the mobile terminal, which can then confirm whether to pay the charging fee based on this information.

[0060] However, step S150 has the following problem: if the charging user does not know whether their account balance is sufficient to fully charge the electric vehicle, and if the user wants to fully charge the vehicle but their account balance is insufficient, the user will find that the vehicle is not fully charged when they return to retrieve it. Normally, charging users want to fully charge their vehicles and are willing to pay for the charging.

[0061] Therefore, this embodiment also includes step S151 during step S150: Within a preset time after charging starts, the target charging pile predicts the theoretical full charge amount, and when the received account balance is less than the theoretical full charge amount, it sends an amount prompt message including the theoretical full charge amount to the mobile terminal; after receiving the amount prompt message, the mobile terminal prompts that the current account balance is insufficient, and when the account balance in its stored charging user information changes, it sends a balance update instruction including the changed account balance to the target charging pile; the target charging pile obtains the latest account balance according to the balance update instruction and stops charging when the charging fee is equal to the account balance or when the battery is fully charged.

[0062] Specifically, after the target charging station starts charging, the theoretical full charge capacity and theoretical full charge time can be predicted based on the rate of increase of the charging current within a preset time. Then, the theoretical full charge cost can be calculated based on the current charging station fee information. For example, after the charging station starts charging, the rate of increase of the charging gun current within 1 minute can be obtained. Then, the battery SOC of the electric vehicle can be calculated using an empirical formula. The theoretical full charge capacity can be calculated based on the current battery charge, and the theoretical full charge time can be calculated based on the charging power. After obtaining the theoretical full charge time, the theoretical full charge cost can be calculated based on the charging station fee information.

[0063] After obtaining the theoretical full charge amount, the target charging station compares it with the received account balance. If the account balance is less than the theoretical full charge amount, it means the current account balance is insufficient to fully charge the vehicle battery. Therefore, the target charging station sends a balance notification to the mobile terminal. Upon receiving the notification, the mobile terminal alerts the user, who can then top up their account balance according to the theoretical full charge amount. Once the mobile terminal detects the change in account balance, it confirms the top-up is complete and sends a balance update command to the target charging station. Upon receiving the update command, the target charging station obtains the latest account balance. Normally, the account balance should be sufficient to fully charge the vehicle battery, so the charging station can stop charging when the battery is fully charged. However, there may be discrepancies between the theoretical and actual full charge amounts. Therefore, it's possible that the account balance is still insufficient to fully charge the battery after topping up. In this case, the charging station can also stop charging when the account balance is depleted. But normally, the battery will be nearly fully charged at this point, sufficient for the user's needs.

[0064] It should be noted that the above charging method is based on the premise that the mobile terminal itself is online and the target charging pile is offline. In actual scenarios, there may be other situations, such as the mobile terminal being online and the target charging pile being online, or the mobile terminal and the target charging pile being offline. These situations will be explained below.

[0065] Scenario 1: The mobile terminal is online and the target charging pile is also online. In this case, the mobile terminal sends a charging confirmation command to the target charging pile. After receiving the charging confirmation command, the target charging pile sends a rate confirmation request command to the cloud server. After receiving the rate confirmation request command, if the charging rate information at the target charging pile is inconsistent with the charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile in the cloud rate list, the cloud server sends a local rate update command containing the corresponding charging rate information to the target charging pile. After receiving the local rate update command, the target charging pile updates the pre-stored charging rate information at the charging pile and starts charging with the current charging rate information after the update is completed.

[0066] In other words, when the target charging station is online, there's no need to forward charging rates via a mobile terminal. Upon receiving a charging confirmation command, the target charging station automatically sends a rate confirmation request to the cloud server, along with its device identifier and charging station rate information. The cloud server then compares this information. If the charging station rate information doesn't match the corresponding rate in the cloud-based rate list, the server sends a local rate update command to the target charging station. This command instructs the charging station to update its pre-stored charging station rate information and automatically initiates charging after the update. During this process, the mobile terminal sends a charging confirmation command to the target charging station to confirm charging commencement.

[0067] Of course, if the cloud server confirms that the charging rate information of the target charging pile is consistent with the charging rate information of the target charging pile in the cloud rate list, it can send a rate confirmation instruction to the target charging pile; after receiving the rate confirmation instruction, the target charging pile can start charging with the current charging rate information.

[0068] Scenario 2: The mobile terminal itself is offline and the target charging station is offline. In this case, the mobile terminal sends a charging start command to the target charging station. At the same time, the mobile terminal stores charging user information, which includes the account balance used to pay for charging. The charging start command sent by the mobile terminal to the target charging station includes this account balance.

[0069] Upon receiving the charging start command, the target charging pile initiates charging. During the charging process, it calculates charges in real time and generates charging order information. It then sends the charging pile's rate information and the predicted theoretical full charge amount to the mobile terminal. The charging order information includes the charging fee, which is compared with the account balance. The charging pile stops charging when the account balance equals the charging fee. The theoretical full charge amount is obtained using the same method as in step S151 above.

[0070] During this process, since both the mobile terminal and the target charging station are offline, they cannot obtain the latest charging rate information. At this time, the target charging station can only charge based on its current charging rate information. The target charging station can calculate the theoretical full charge amount locally and send it to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal can know the theoretical full charge amount, but because it is offline, it cannot recharge when the account balance is less than the theoretical full charge amount. At this time, the account balance cannot be updated, and the target charging station can only charge based on the current account balance and stop charging when the account balance equals the charging fee.

[0071] However, under normal circumstances, the account balance can still support charging at the charging station for a period of time. At this time, the charging user can move their mobile device to an area with internet access. Once the mobile device is online, it can send an offline rate confirmation command containing charging station rate information to the cloud server. When the cloud server receives the offline rate confirmation command and the charging station rate information is inconsistent with the charging rate information of the target charging station in the cloud rate list, it sends an offline rate update command containing the charging rate information of the target charging station to the mobile device. The mobile device updates the theoretical full charge amount according to the offline rate update command, and prompts that the current account balance is insufficient if the updated theoretical full charge amount is less than the corresponding account balance. The charging user can then recharge their account balance.

[0072] Afterwards, the mobile terminal returns to the vicinity of the target charging station and re-establishes near-field communication with it. The mobile terminal can then send a local rate update command to the target charging station, including charging rate information corresponding to the target charging station. The target charging station updates its pre-stored charging station rate information according to the local rate update command and updates the charging order information based on the new charging station rate information. When the account balance in the mobile terminal's stored charging user information changes, the mobile terminal sends a balance update command to the target charging station, including the changed account balance. The target charging station updates its account balance according to the balance update command.

[0073] At this point, the target charging station can generate a charging order based on the latest charging station rate information, and can stop charging when the charging fee equals the account balance, or when the battery is fully charged, based on the latest account balance.

[0074] Of course, as another implementation method, when a user obtains the theoretical full charge amount through their mobile terminal, the mobile terminal can prompt the user to recharge. The user can recharge a certain amount to their account. Only after the cloud server obtains a certain balance in the account will it issue the permission to control the charging station to charge to the mobile terminal, or communicate directly with the charging station to start charging. If there is still a balance in the account when the user actively stops charging or the battery is fully charged, the cloud server can automatically return the excess balance to the user. Thus, the user can recharge before charging and then get back the excess balance after charging, achieving the effect of charging and refunding immediately, without the user needing to store the amount in their account. At the same time, since charging is only started when the user's account has a certain balance, it can prevent users from skipping out on their bills, reducing or avoiding losses for the charging service provider.

[0075] This invention provides a method for charging electric vehicles based on remote rate distribution, which ensures that the charging pile can charge at the latest charging rate every time. Furthermore, even during the charging period, staff can directly distribute new charging rates to the cloud server. Although the charging pile will not update its terminal rate information at this time, it will naturally obtain the latest charging rate information the next time the charging pile is charged. Therefore, it can achieve the effect of updating the charging rate during the charging period.

[0076] Example 2

[0077] This embodiment provides a charging device for an electric vehicle, including a charging pile and a controller; the controller includes a memory and a processor, the memory storing a computer program that runs on the processor, and the processor executing the computer program to implement the steps of the charging method provided in Embodiment 1.

[0078] For example, a computer program can be divided into one or more modules / units, one or more of which are stored in memory and executed by a processor to complete this application. One or more modules / units can be a series of computer program instruction segments capable of performing a specific function, which describe the execution process of the computer program in the charging controller.

[0079] The charging controller may include, but is not limited to, a processor and memory. Those skilled in the art will understand that the figures are merely examples of a charging controller and do not constitute a limitation on the charging controller. It may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or different components. For example, the charging controller may also include input / output devices, network access devices, buses, etc.

[0080] The processor referred to can be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0081] The memory can be an internal storage unit of the charging controller, such as a hard drive or RAM. It can also be an external storage device, such as a plug-in hard drive, Smart Media Card (SMC), Secure Digital (SD) card, or Flash Card. Furthermore, the memory can include both internal and external storage units. The memory is used to store computer programs and other programs and data required by the charging controller. It can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0082] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the above-described division of functional units and modules is merely an example. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional units and modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The functional units and modules in the embodiments can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit. Furthermore, the specific names of the functional units and modules are only for easy differentiation and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. The specific working process of the units and modules in the above system can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0083] Example 3

[0084] This embodiment provides a charging system for electric vehicles, including a host device, a cloud server, a mobile terminal, and charging piles. The host device sends a cloud rate update instruction to the cloud server. The cloud rate update instruction includes charging rate information for at least one charging pile. The mobile terminal establishes near-field communication with the target charging pile and, when the target charging pile is offline, sends a rate confirmation request instruction to the cloud server, including the device identifier and charging pile rate information of the target charging pile. The cloud server receives the cloud rate update instruction and updates a pre-stored cloud rate list accordingly. The cloud server also receives the rate confirmation request instruction and compares it with the cloud rate list containing charging rate information for each charging pile corresponding to the cloud server. The system compares the charging rate information of the target charging pile with the charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile in the cloud rate list. If the charging rate information of the target charging pile is inconsistent with the charging rate information of the target charging pile, the system sends a charging rate update instruction containing the charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal is also used to receive the charging rate update instruction and send a local rate update instruction containing the charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile to the target charging pile. The target charging pile updates the pre-stored charging rate information according to the local rate update instruction and sends a rate update completion instruction to the mobile terminal after the update is completed. The mobile terminal is also used to receive the rate update completion instruction and send a charging start instruction to the target charging pile. The charging start instruction is used to instruct the target charging pile to start charging with the current charging rate information.

[0085] For a description of the charging system, please refer to Embodiment 1 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0086] The description of the above specification and embodiments is used to explain the scope of protection of this application, but does not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A method for charging electric vehicles based on remote rate disbursement, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The mobile terminal establishes near-field communication with the target charging pile, and when its own network status is online and the target charging pile's network status is offline, it sends a rate confirmation request instruction to the cloud server, which includes the device identifier of the target charging pile and the charging pile's rate information. After receiving the rate confirmation request instruction, the cloud server compares it with a cloud rate list containing charging rate information for each charging pile corresponding to the cloud server. If the charging rate information of the target charging pile is inconsistent with the charging rate information in the cloud rate list corresponding to the target charging pile, the cloud server sends a charging rate update instruction containing the charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile to the mobile terminal. The cloud rate list is pre-stored in the cloud server and is updated by the cloud server according to the cloud rate update instruction containing charging rate information for at least one charging pile sent by the host device. After receiving the charging station rate update instruction, the mobile terminal sends a local rate update instruction to the target charging station, which includes charging rate information corresponding to the target charging station. The target charging station updates the pre-stored charging station rate information according to the local rate update instruction and sends a rate update completion instruction to the mobile terminal after the update is completed. After receiving the rate update completion instruction, the mobile terminal sends a charging start instruction to the target charging pile. The charging start instruction is used to instruct the target charging pile to start charging with the current charging pile rate information.

2. The electric vehicle charging method based on remote rate distribution as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When the mobile terminal is online and the target charging pile is offline, and the cloud server confirms that the charging rate information of the target charging pile matches the charging rate information of the target charging pile in the cloud rate list, the mobile terminal sends a rate confirmation command to the mobile terminal; the mobile terminal receives the rate confirmation command and sends a charging start command to the target charging pile.

3. The electric vehicle charging method based on remote rate distribution as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When the mobile terminal is online and the target charging pile is online, it sends a charging confirmation command to the target charging pile. After receiving the charging confirmation command, the target charging pile sends the rate confirmation request command to the cloud server. After receiving the rate confirmation request command, if the charging rate information at the target charging pile is inconsistent with the charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile in the cloud rate list, the cloud server sends a local rate update command including the charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile. After receiving the local rate update command, the target charging pile updates the pre-stored charging rate information and starts charging with the current charging rate information after the update is completed.

4. The electric vehicle charging method based on remote rate distribution as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The mobile terminal is online and the target charging pile is online. When the cloud server confirms that the charging rate information of the target charging pile is consistent with the charging rate information of the target charging pile in the cloud rate list, it sends a rate confirmation command to the target charging pile. The target charging pile receives the rate confirmation command and starts charging with the current charging rate information.

5. The electric vehicle charging method based on remote rate distribution as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The mobile terminal stores charging user information, which includes at least an account balance available for paying charging fees. The charging start command sent by the mobile terminal to the target charging pile includes the account balance corresponding to the mobile terminal. After receiving the charging start command, the target charging pile calculates charges in real time and generates charging order information during the charging process. The charging order information includes the charging fee, and the target charging pile stops charging when the charging fee equals the account balance.

6. The electric vehicle charging method based on remote rate distribution as described in claim 5, characterized in that, Within a preset time after charging begins, the target charging pile predicts the theoretical full charge amount. If the received account balance is less than the theoretical full charge amount, it sends a notification message including the theoretical full charge amount to the mobile terminal. After receiving the notification message, the mobile terminal indicates that the current account balance is insufficient. When the account balance in its stored charging user information changes, it sends a balance update instruction including the changed account balance to the target charging pile. The target charging pile stops charging when it obtains the latest account balance based on the balance update instruction and the charging fee equals the account balance or when the battery is fully charged.

7. The electric vehicle charging method based on remote rate distribution as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When both the mobile terminal and the target charging pile are offline, the mobile terminal sends a charging start command to the target charging pile. The mobile terminal stores charging user information, which includes at least the account balance available for paying charging fees. The charging start command sent by the mobile terminal to the target charging pile includes the account balance corresponding to the mobile terminal. Upon receiving the charging start command, the target charging pile starts charging, calculates charges in real time during the charging process, generates charging order information, and sends the charging pile fee information and the predicted theoretical full charge amount to the mobile terminal. The charging order information includes the charging fee. When the mobile terminal switches from its network connection status to online, it sends an offline rate confirmation instruction containing charging station rate information to the cloud server. Upon receiving the offline rate confirmation instruction, and if the charging station rate information does not match the charging rate information for the target charging station in the cloud rate list, the cloud server sends an offline rate update instruction containing the charging rate information for the target charging station to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal updates the theoretical charging amount according to the offline rate update instruction, and prompts an insufficient account balance when the updated theoretical charging amount is less than the corresponding account balance. When the mobile terminal receives the offline rate update instruction and re-establishes near-field communication with the target charging pile, it sends a local rate update instruction to the target charging pile, which includes charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile. The target charging pile updates the pre-stored charging pile rate information according to the local rate update instruction and updates the charging order information according to the new charging pile rate information. When the account balance in the mobile terminal's stored charging user information changes, the mobile terminal sends a balance update instruction including the changed account balance to the target charging pile, and the target charging pile updates the account balance according to the balance update instruction; The target charging pile stops charging when the charging fee in the charging order information equals its current account balance or when the battery is fully charged.

8. A method for charging electric vehicles based on remote rate disbursement as described in claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, The target charging pile predicts the theoretical full charge amount through the following steps: predicting the theoretical full charge amount and theoretical full charge time based on the rate of increase of the charging current of the target charging pile within a preset time, and calculating the theoretical full charge amount based on the charging pile terminal rate information, the theoretical full charge current and the theoretical full charge time.

9. A charging device for an electric vehicle, characterized in that, It includes a charging pile and a controller; the controller includes a memory and a processor, the memory storing a computer program that runs on the processor, and the processor executing the computer program to implement the steps of the charging method as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A charging system for an electric vehicle, characterized in that, This includes host equipment, cloud servers, mobile terminals, and charging piles; The host device is used to send a cloud rate update instruction to the cloud server; the cloud rate update instruction includes charging rate information for at least one charging pile. The mobile terminal is used to establish near-field communication with the target charging pile, and when the target charging pile is offline, it sends a rate confirmation request instruction to the cloud server, which includes the device identifier and charging pile rate information of the target charging pile. The cloud server is used to receive the cloud rate update instruction and update the pre-stored cloud rate list accordingly; the cloud server is also used to receive the rate confirmation request instruction and compare it with the cloud rate list containing charging rate information of each charging pile corresponding to the cloud server, and when the charging rate information of the target charging pile is inconsistent with the charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile in the cloud rate list, send a charging rate update instruction containing the charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal is also used to receive the charging rate update instruction and send a local rate update instruction to the target charging pile, which includes charging rate information corresponding to the target charging pile. The target charging pile updates the pre-stored charging pile terminal rate information according to the local rate update instruction and sends a rate update completion instruction to the mobile terminal after the update is completed. The mobile terminal is also used to receive the rate update completion instruction and send a charging start instruction to the target charging pile, wherein the charging start instruction is used to instruct the target charging pile to start charging with the current pile-end rate information.

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