Charging infrastructure and operating methods for electric vehicles

Abstract

This invention relates to a method for a charging infrastructure for operating electric vehicles, wherein the electric vehicles travel to a specific charging station of the charging infrastructure during their journey from a point of origin to a destination, the specific charging station charging the electric vehicle's power battery connected to the specific charging station. This invention also relates to a charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a method for a charging infrastructure for operating electric vehicles, wherein the electric vehicle travels from a point of origin to a destination and stops at a specific charging station of the charging infrastructure, the specific charging station charging the electric vehicle's power battery connected to the specific charging station. Furthermore, this invention also relates to a charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] Various designs for charging infrastructure and related operating methods are existing technologies used to provide electrical energy for charging the power batteries of electric vehicles. The power batteries of electric vehicles are charged by electrically connecting them to charging stations in the charging infrastructure via the electric vehicle's charger.

[0003] However, charging a vehicle's battery takes several times longer than refueling a motor vehicle that uses liquid fuels—primarily fossil fuels—which are powered by internal combustion engines. Electric vehicles, in particular, must endure longer waiting times during long journeys to recharge their batteries before they can continue driving. Each time an electric vehicle travels on a route longer than its actual driving range, it requires a correspondingly longer interruption of its journey.

[0004] However, in practice, charging stations set up for charging may be occupied by other electric vehicles in many cases, thus adding extra waiting time to the required waiting time due to the unavoidable charging duration. There may even be multiple electric vehicles queuing at the charging stations, potentially resulting in additional waiting times, sometimes lasting several hours.

[0005] The current charging station density for electric vehicles is lower than that of traditional gas stations. Therefore, each additional charging station adjacent to an occupied charging station may be located beyond the remaining driving range of an electric vehicle needing charging. Accordingly, it is necessary to prevent electric vehicles from detouring from occupied charging stations to adjacent additional charging stations to reduce waiting time before charging their batteries.

[0006] Therefore, the operation of charging infrastructure should ensure as much as possible that when electric vehicles arrive at the designated charging stations, the charging stations set up for charging the power batteries of electric vehicles that need to be charged are not occupied.

[0007] CN 107 392 336A and KR 2013 0094919 respectively disclose an operation method for an electric vehicle charging infrastructure, wherein the central back-end server of the charging infrastructure reserves a charging station for the electric vehicle charging infrastructure selected by the electric vehicle driver and set up for charging.

[0008] However, it may already be demanding of electric vehicle drivers to plan the best charging stations for their electric vehicle trips.

[0009] To alleviate the burden on drivers in this regard, EP 3 702 979 A1 discloses an operation method for electric vehicle charging infrastructure, wherein a central back-end server of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure determines and reserves charging stations for electric vehicles based on the state of charge of the electric vehicle's power battery, the electric vehicle's destination, and the electric vehicle's travel route.

[0010] However, with the foreseeable increase in the number of electric vehicles, the aforementioned known methods for charging infrastructure to operate electric vehicles will reach their limits. Summary of the Invention

[0011] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for charging infrastructure for operating electric vehicles, which avoids or at least reduces the waiting time required for multiple electric vehicles to charge their power batteries. Another object of the present invention is to provide a charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.

[0012] The subject of this invention is a method for operating a charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, wherein the electric vehicle travels to a specific charging station of the charging infrastructure during its journey from a point of origin to a destination, and the charging station charges the electric vehicle's power battery connected to the charging station. Specifically, to charge the power battery, the charging station is electrically connected to the power battery via a charging cable through the electric vehicle's charger. This method of operating a charging infrastructure is widely adopted, thus leading to numerous possible applications of the invention.

[0013] According to the present invention, a central back-end server of the charging infrastructure dynamically generates a global charging schedule in real time for multiple electric vehicles, including electric vehicles, and for multiple charging stations, including charging stations, within the charging infrastructure. The central back-end server determines specific charging stations based on the generated global charging schedule and sends the determined charging station data to the electric vehicles. The central back-end server then allocates specific charging stations to the electric vehicles using the sent data. The driver of the electric vehicle does not need to manually select a charging station from the charging infrastructure and set it to charge the power battery.

[0014] The generated global charging schedule includes and takes into account all charging stations and all electric vehicles, thereby ensuring the flexibility and collectivity of the charging infrastructure operation through a central back-end server. This flexibility and collectivity allow the charging processes of multiple electric vehicles to be coordinated with each other both spatially and temporally.

[0015] The central back-end server can update the generated global charging schedule in real time, especially adapting it to unforeseen events. For example, the central back-end server can use the generated global charging schedule to allocate charging stations that were not occupied by the first electric vehicle due to traffic congestion caused by an accident to a second electric vehicle in the short term, which was previously assigned to a charging station that was less advantageous in terms of space or time.

[0016] The generation of the global charging schedule preferably involves minimizing the sum of the driving and charging durations. Minimizing this sum is closely related to arriving at the destination as early as possible. It's important to note that sum minimization can be applied to a single electric vehicle and / or multiple electric vehicles. Minimizing the sum involving multiple electric vehicles can be understood as a collective boundary condition. It ensures that the sum of the first electric vehicle is not disproportionately minimized at the expense of the sum of the second electric vehicle, thus ensuring balance within the multiple electric vehicles.

[0017] More preferably, the electric vehicle determines its route based on the determined charging station data. In other words, the electric vehicle automatically adjusts its route to accommodate specific charging stations. It should be noted that if, despite taking a detour, the electric vehicle arrives at its destination earlier than if it were to charge its battery via charging stations located along the planned route, the determined route may include the detour as a result of the adjustment.

[0018] The central back-end server advantageously registers / registers each of the multiple electric vehicles and / or each of the multiple charging stations. The registered electric vehicles and / or charging stations participate in the operation of the charging infrastructure and form the basis of the global charging schedule generated by the central back-end server.

[0019] Registration of electric vehicles may include storing / recording the storage capacity of the electric vehicle's power battery, and a central back-end server can generate a global charging schedule based on the stored capacity. Through registration, the central back-end server learns vehicle parameters, including, but not exclusively and only exemplarily, the storage capacity of the power battery, which is related to power battery charging, particularly the charging duration or maximum driving range of the electric vehicle.

[0020] Registration of charging stations can include storing the location and charging capacity of each station, and a central backend server can generate a global charging schedule based on the stored location and charging capacity. Through registration, the central backend server learns charging station parameters, including, but not exclusively, the charging capacity of the station, which is related to battery charging, particularly charging duration or the station's maximum charging current.

[0021] The registered vehicle parameters and registered charging station parameters enable the central backend server to accurately generate a global charging schedule based on the capacity and demand of the electric vehicles and charging stations involved.

[0022] Advantageously, each of the multiple electric vehicles sends its location, the state of charge (SBC) of its battery, the origin of its journey, the destination of its journey, and the planned route for its journey to a central backend server. The central backend server then generates a global charging schedule based on the locations, SBCs, origins, destinations, and planned routes sent by all electric vehicles. In short, each electric vehicle sends its current driving parameters to the central backend server. These current driving parameters are non-exclusive and, by way of example only, include the corresponding location, SBC, origin, destination, and the respective planned route. The sent driving parameters enable the central backend server to dynamically generate a global charging schedule in real time.

[0023] In one implementation, a central back-end server reserves / books specific charging stations for electric vehicles during the charging duration according to a global charging schedule, the charging duration being related to stored capacity and transmitted state of charge. This reservation prevents specific charging stations from being used for charging outside the global charging schedule. Of course, if an electric vehicle is prevented from charging its battery according to the global charging schedule, for example due to traffic congestion caused by an accident, the central back-end server can release the reserved charging station. This reservation further improves the efficiency of the operating method.

[0024] In another implementation, the central backend server generates a global charging schedule based on the already implemented charging station reservations. In this way, the central backend server avoids multiple uses of charging stations.

[0025] The central backend server leverages a genetic algorithm to efficiently generate a global charging schedule. This genetic algorithm, in a unique way, allows for flexible adjustments to the generated global charging schedule to accommodate unforeseen events.

[0026] Another subject of this invention is a charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, comprising multiple charging stations and a central back-end server connected to these charging stations. Charging infrastructure is widely adopted, thus allowing for a variety of applications of this invention.

[0027] According to the present invention, charging infrastructure is designed to perform the method according to the invention together with multiple electric vehicles. The charging infrastructure avoids or at least reduces the waiting time required for multiple electric vehicles to charge their power batteries. In this way, multiple electric vehicles can reach their destinations earlier, meaning that the travel interruptions required for charging can be shorter, thereby increasing the acceptance of electric vehicles.

[0028] The main advantage of the method according to the invention is that it avoids or at least reduces the waiting time at charging stations in the charging infrastructure before charging the power battery of an electric vehicle. Therefore, the acceptance of electric vehicles is improved. It is also advantageous that the method can achieve high precision and high flexibility in the collective allocation from charging stations to electric vehicles. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The invention is schematically illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings and further described with reference to the drawings. The drawings show:

[0030] Figure 1 A charging infrastructure for electric vehicles according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0031] List of reference numerals in the attached diagram:

[0032] 1. Charging infrastructure

[0033] 10 charging stations

[0034] 100 positions

[0035] 101 Charging Capacity

[0036] 102 Charging duration

[0037] 11 Central Backend Servers

[0038] 110 Genetic Algorithm

[0039] 111 Data

[0040] 112 Reserved

[0041] 2 Electric vehicles

[0042] 20 power batteries

[0043] 200 storage capacity

[0044] 201 State of charge

[0045] 21 Driving Route

[0046] 210 Departure Point

[0047] 211 Destination

[0048] 212 Driving Duration

[0049] 22 positions

[0050] 3 Global Charging Schedule Detailed Implementation

[0051] Figure 1A charging infrastructure 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown for electric vehicles 2. The charging infrastructure 1 includes a plurality of charging stations 10 and a central back-end server 11 connected to the charging stations 10 and is suitable for a plurality of electric vehicles 2. The charging infrastructure 1 is designed to perform the following methods according to an embodiment of the present invention together with the plurality of electric vehicles 2.

[0052] This method is used to operate charging infrastructure 1.

[0053] The central back-end server 11 preferably registers each of the plurality of electric vehicles 2. The registration of the electric vehicle 2 may include storing the storage capacity 200 of the power battery 20 of the electric vehicle 2.

[0054] More preferably, the central back-end server 11 registers each of the multiple charging stations 10. The registration of the charging station 10 may include storing the location 100 of the charging station 10 and the charging capacity 101 of the charging station 10.

[0055] Specifically, each of the multiple electric vehicles 2 can send its location 22, the state of charge 201 of its power battery 20, the starting point 210 of its journey, the destination 211 of its journey, and the planned route 21 for its journey to the central back-end server 11.

[0056] The central backend server 11 of the charging infrastructure 1 generates a global charging schedule 3 in real time for multiple electric vehicles 2, including one electric vehicle 2, and multiple charging stations 10 of the charging infrastructure 1, including one specific charging station 10.

[0057] The central back-end server 11 preferably uses a genetic algorithm 110 to generate a global charging schedule 3.

[0058] The central back-end server 11 can generate a global charging schedule 3 based on the location 22, charge status 201, origin 210, destination 211 and planned driving route 21 of all electric vehicles 2.

[0059] The generation of the global charging schedule 3 may include minimizing the sum of the driving duration 212 and the charging duration 102.

[0060] The central back-end server 11 generates a global charging schedule 3 specifically based on the stored storage capacity 200 of the power battery 20. The central back-end server 11 also generates a global charging schedule 3 specifically based on the stored location 100 and the stored charging capacity 101 of the charging pile 10. The central back-end server 11 further generates a global charging schedule 3 specifically based on the reserved 112 of the already implemented charging station 10.

[0061] The central back-end server 11 determines the specific charging station 10 based on the generated global charging schedule 3 and sends the data 111 of the determined charging station 10 to the electric vehicle 2.

[0062] In addition, the central back-end server 11 can reserve a specific charging station 10 for the electric vehicle 2 during the charging duration 212 according to the global charging schedule 3. This charging duration is related to the stored storage capacity 200 and the sent state of charge 201.

[0063] During the journey from origin 210 to destination 211, electric vehicle 2 travels to a specific charging station 10 of charging infrastructure 1. Electric vehicle 2 can determine the route 21 of the journey based on the data 111 of the determined charging station 10.

[0064] A specific charging station 10 charges the power battery 20 of the electric vehicle 2 connected to the specific charging station 10.

Claims

1. A method for operating a charging infrastructure (1) for electric vehicles (2), wherein The central backend server (11) of the charging infrastructure (1) registers each electric vehicle (2) of a plurality of electric vehicles (2) and / or each charging station (10) of a plurality of charging stations (10), wherein the registration of an electric vehicle (2) comprises saving a storage capacity (200) of a power battery (20) of the electric vehicle (2), the registration of a charging station (10) comprises saving a location (100) of the charging station (10) and a charging capacity (101) of the charging station (10), each electric vehicle (2) of a plurality of electric vehicles (2) transmits a location (22) of the electric vehicle (2), a state of charge (201) of a power battery (20) of the electric vehicle (2), a departure location (210) of a trip of the electric vehicle (2), a destination (211) of the trip of the electric vehicle (2) and a planned driving route (21) for the trip of the electric vehicle (2) to a central backend server (11), the central backend server (11) generates a global charging schedule (3) for the plurality of electric vehicles (2) including the electric vehicle (2) and for the plurality of charging stations (10) of the charging infrastructure (1) including the charging station (10) in real time dynamically by means of a genetic algorithm (110) from the saved storage capacity (200) of the power battery (20) of the electric vehicle (2), from the saved location (100) and charging capacity (101) of the charging station (10) and from the transmitted location (22), state of charge (201), departure location (210), destination (211) and planned driving route (21) of all electric vehicles (2), the generation of the global charging schedule (3) including minimizing the sum of a driving duration (212) and a charging duration (102), the central backend server derives a specific charging station (10) from the generated global charging schedule (3) and transmits data (111) of the derived charging station (10) to the electric vehicle (2), the electric vehicle (2) drives to the specific charging station (10) of the charging infrastructure (1) during the driving from the departure location (210) to the destination (211) of the trip, which charges the power battery (20) of the electric vehicle (2) connected to the specific charging station (10).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The electric vehicle (2) determines the driving route (21) of the trip from the data (111) of the derived charging station (10).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, The central backend server (11) reserves the specific charging station (10) for the electric vehicle (2) during the charging duration (102) related to the saved storage capacity (200) and the transmitted state of charge (201) from the global charging schedule (3).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, The central backend server (11) generates the global charging schedule (3) from the charging station (10) reservations (112) already implemented.

5. A charging infrastructure (1) for electric vehicles (2) comprising a plurality of charging stations (10) and a central backend server (11) connected to the charging stations (10) and designed to carry out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 together with the plurality of electric vehicles (2).

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