Vehicle-to-vehicle charge disconnect

Abstract

The invention provides a vehicle-to-vehicle charge disconnect. An electric vehicle power supply apparatus includes: a wire assembly having circuitry configured to electrically connect with a vehicle to allow the vehicle to exchange power; a power supply; and a controller that selectively electrically connects the power source to some of the circuits based on whether voltages associated with the circuits are the same.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to automotive power systems. Background Art

[0002] Certain charging stations are dedicated infrastructure designed to recharge electric vehicle batteries and utilize different technologies and charging levels to accommodate various types of electric vehicles and their charging needs. The most common types of charging facilitated by charging stations include Level 1 charging, Level 2 charging, and DC fast charging.

[0003] Level 1 charging typically involves plugging the vehicle into a standard household electrical outlet. This charging method is relatively slow, providing a charging rate of approximately 2-5 miles of range per hour.

[0004] Level 2 charging provides faster charging rates compared to Level 1 charging. It requires specialized charging stations that operate at higher voltage and current levels. Charging rates are typically in the range of 10 miles per hour to 60 miles of range.

[0005] DC fast charging (also known as Level 3 charging) is the fastest charging option currently available. It uses a high-power charger that delivers direct current (DC) electricity to the vehicle's battery, bypassing the onboard charger. DC fast charging stations are able to provide a large amount of power in a short period of time, typically providing an 80% charge in 30 minutes or less.

[0006] In some cases, charging stations may not be available. Summary of the invention

[0007] A charging system has an electric vehicle power supply equipment, which includes a pair of mechanical couplers on opposite ends thereof, each mechanically engaged with a charging port of a vehicle, and an electrical coupler each electrically connected to the vehicle so that a pair of vehicles can exchange power; and a controller, which causes a voltage associated with one of the electrical couplers to change in response to detecting a difference between voltages associated with the electrical couplers to signal one of the pair of vehicles to cease providing power.

[0008] A method includes causing a voltage associated with one of the electrical couplers to change to signal one of the pair of vehicles to discontinue providing power in response to detecting a difference between voltages associated with electrical couplers on opposite ends of electric vehicle supply equipment that are each electrically connected to a vehicle to enable a pair of vehicles to exchange power via the electric vehicle supply equipment.

[0009] An electric vehicle power supply apparatus has: a cord assembly including a pair of mechanical couplers that mechanically engage a charging port of a vehicle and a circuit electrically connected to the vehicle to allow the vehicle to exchange power; a power source; and a controller that selectively electrically connects the power source to some of the circuits based on whether voltages associated with the circuits are the same. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an electric vehicle power supply equipment and a vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] Embodiments are described herein. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and that other embodiments may take various and alternative forms. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Some features may be enlarged or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, the specific structural details and functional details disclosed herein should not be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art.

[0012] The various features shown and described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings may be combined with features shown in one or more other drawings to produce embodiments not explicitly shown or described. The combinations of features shown provide representative embodiments for typical applications. However, for specific applications or implementations, various combinations and modifications of features consistent with the teachings of the present disclosure may be desired.

[0013] The J1772 standard (also known as SAE J1772) is an industry standard developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. It establishes a common connector and communication protocol between EVs and charging stations, thereby ensuring compatibility and interoperability between different EV models and charging equipment. It defines both the physical connector and the communication protocol for EV charging. The physical connector includes a standardized plug and socket configuration and is characterized by a set of power conductors, signal wires, and ground connections. The J1772 connector is capable of handling the high power levels required for fast charging.

[0014] One of the features of the J1772 connector is its pilot signal communication protocol. Communication between the vehicle and the charging station occurs through this pilot signal. It allows the EV and the charging station to negotiate and control various charging parameters such as power level, current, and charging mode.

[0015] The J1772 standard supports two main charging modes: Level 1 and Level 2. As mentioned earlier, Level 1 charging operates at standard household AC voltage (120V in North America) and typically provides charging rates of up to 1.4-1.9kW. Level 2 charging operates at higher voltages (208-240V) and provides significantly faster charging rates, typically up to 7.2-19.2kW. The J1772 standard enables Level 2 charging to be widely deployed in a variety of environments, including homes, workplaces, and public charging stations.

[0016] In addition to physical and electrical specifications, the J1772 standard addresses other considerations. For example, it includes features like ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).

[0017] The J1772 standard has evolved over time to accommodate advances in EV technology. Initially, it supported only AC charging. However, as DC fast charging became more popular, an extension of the J1772 standard called Combo or Combo 1 was introduced. The Combo connector combines the J1772 AC connector with two additional DC power conductors, allowing DC fast charging using the CCS (Combined Charging System) protocol. This extension enables EVs to charge quickly at high power levels, significantly reducing charging times.

[0018] While the J1772 standard has been widely adopted, other standards such as CHAdeMO are also in use, especially for DC fast charging. To address interoperability challenges, many charging stations have multiple connectors, including J1772, CHAdeMO, and CCS, allowing a wider range of EVs to charge at the same station.

[0019] refer to Figure 1 , the electric vehicle power supply equipment 10 includes a wire assembly 12, mechanical couplers 14, 16, proximity wires 18, 20, pilot wires 22, 24, a microcontroller 26, a receiver electrical coupler 28 and a donor electrical coupler 30, a voltage source 32, a switching device 34 and proximity wires 36, 38. In this example, the mechanical couplers 14, 16 and the receiver electrical coupler 28 and the donor electrical coupler 30 follow the J1772 standard. However, other configurations are also contemplated.

[0020] The mechanical couplers 14, 16, which include latches 15, 17, respectively, are each configured to engage with the charging ports 40, 42 of the vehicles 44, 46, respectively. Thus, the wire assembly 12 is double-sided. The proximity wire 18 and the pilot wire 22 are connected between the mechanical coupler 14 and the wire assembly 12. The proximity wire 20 and the pilot wire 24 are connected between the wire assembly 12 and the mechanical coupler 14. The proximity wires 18, 20 transmit data about whether the mechanical couplers 14, 16 are near the vehicles 44, 46, respectively, to the microcontroller 26. The pilot wires 22, 24 transmit data about whether the mechanical couplers 14, 16 are properly engaged with the charging ports 40, 42 and whether communication is established with the vehicles 44, 46 to the microcontroller 26. Thus, the microcontroller 26 communicates with the mechanical couplers 14, 16 as well as the receiver electrical coupler 28 and the donor electrical coupler 30.

[0021] The proximity wires 36 , 38 transmit data about the wireline 12 and the vehicles 44 , 46 , as discussed in further detail below.

[0022] The receiver electrical coupler 28 includes a pair of resistors 48, 50 and a normally closed switch 52. In this example, the resistor 48 is a 150Ω resistor and the resistor 50 is a 330Ω resistor. The resistor 50 and the normally closed switch 52 are connected in parallel between the resistor 48 and ground. The resistor 48 is connected between the parallel resistor 50 and the normally closed switch 52 and the proximity line 36.

[0023] The donor electrical coupler 30 includes a pair of resistors 54, 56 and a normally closed switch 58. In this example, the resistor 54 is a 150Ω resistor and the resistor 56 is a 330Ω resistor. The resistor 56 and the normally closed switch 58 are connected in parallel between the resistor 54 and ground. The resistor 54 is connected between the parallel resistor 56 and the normally closed switch 58 and the proximity line 38.

[0024] The switch arrangement 32 includes a resistor 60 and a switch 62 connected in series between the voltage source 32 and the proximity line 38. In this example, the voltage source 32 is a 5V power supply and the resistor 60 is a 175Ω resistor.

[0025] The microcontroller 26 is arranged to exert control over the normally closed switches 52 , 58 and the switch 62 .

[0026] Thus, when a charging station is unavailable, the electric vehicle supply equipment 10 can be used to allow vehicle 46 (donor vehicle) to charge vehicle 44 (recipient vehicle). However, when the user disengages the mechanical coupler 14 (and latch 15) from the charging port 40, the vehicle 46 should be notified to signal the vehicle 46 to stop providing charging.

[0027] The vehicle 44 includes a voltage source 64 and a pair of resistors 66, 68. In this example, the resistor 66 is a 330Ω resistor and the resistor 68 is a 2.7kΩ resistor. When the receiver electrical coupler 28 is properly mated with the vehicle 44, the resistor 68 is connected in parallel with the resistor 48 and the parallel resistor 50 and the normally closed switch 52.

[0028] The vehicle 46 includes a voltage source 70 and a pair of resistors 72, 74. In this example, the resistor 72 is a 330Ω resistor and the resistor 74 is a 2.7kΩ resistor. When the donor electrical coupler 30 is properly mated with the vehicle 46, the resistor 74 is connected in parallel with the resistor 54 and the parallel resistor 56 and the normally closed switch 58.

[0029] During charging, latches 15, 17 will engage charging ports 40, 42, respectively, the voltage on proximity lines 36, 38 will be 1.5V (because normally closed switch 52 will be closed), and switch 62 will be open. That is, microcontroller 26 will sense via typical sensors that there is no voltage difference on proximity lines 36, 38.

[0030] Given that the mechanical coupler 14 and the recipient electrical coupler 28 comply with the J1772 standard, the disengagement of the latch 15 from the charging port 40 will cause the normally closed switch 52 to open, causing the voltage on the proximity line 36 to change from 1.5V to 2.77V. However, the voltage on the proximity line 38 will remain unchanged at 1.5V. In response to detecting the voltage difference between the proximity lines 36, 38, the microcontroller 26 will close the switch 62. This will connect the donor electrical coupler 30 to the voltage source 32, thereby pulling the voltage on the proximity line 38 from 1.5V to 2.77V. Upon detecting this change, the vehicle 46 will stop supplying power to the cordset 12 because the 2.77V on the proximity line 38 simulates the condition when the donor electrical coupler 30 is disconnected from the vehicle 46.

[0031] The algorithm, method or process disclosed herein can be delivered to or implemented by a computer, a controller or a processing device, and the computer, the controller or the processing device can include any dedicated electronic control unit or a programmable electronic control unit. Similarly, the algorithm, method or process can be stored in various forms as data and instructions that can be executed by a computer or a controller, including but not limited to information permanently stored on a non-writable storage medium such as a read-only memory device and information that can be changed and stored on a writable storage medium such as an optical disk, a random access memory device or other magnetic and optical media. The algorithm, method or process can also be implemented with a software executable object. Alternatively, the algorithm, method or process can be implemented in whole or in part using a combination of suitable hardware components (such as an application specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, a state machine or other hardware components or devices) or firmware, hardware and software components.

[0032] Although exemplary embodiments are described above, these embodiments are not intended to describe all possible forms encompassed by the claims. For example, other circuits and circuit element values ​​may be used, depending on the charging standard being followed, etc.

[0033] The words used in the specification are descriptive rather than limiting, and it should be understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of these disclosed materials. For example, the terms "controller" and "controllers" may be used interchangeably herein because the functionality of a controller may be distributed across several controllers / modules that may all communicate via standard techniques.

[0034] As previously mentioned, the features of the various embodiments may be combined to form additional embodiments of the invention that may not be explicitly described or shown. Although various embodiments may have been described as providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more desired characteristics, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that one or more features or characteristics may be compromised to achieve desired overall system properties, depending on the specific application and implementation. These properties may include, but are not limited to, strength, durability, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, serviceability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, and the like. Therefore, embodiments that are described as less desirable than other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more characteristics are within the scope of the present disclosure and may be desirable for a particular application.

[0035] According to the present invention, a charging system is provided, the charging system having: electric vehicle power supply equipment, the electric vehicle power supply equipment including a pair of mechanical couplers at opposite ends thereof, each configured to mechanically engage with a charging port of a vehicle, and an electrical coupler each configured to be electrically connected to a vehicle so that a pair of vehicles can exchange power; and a controller, the controller being programmed to cause a voltage associated with one of the electrical couplers to change in response to detecting a difference between voltages associated with the electrical couplers to signal one of the pair of vehicles to cease providing power.

[0036] According to an embodiment, the electric vehicle supply equipment comprises a switch, and wherein causing the voltage associated with one of the electrical couplers to change comprises closing the switch.

[0037] According to an embodiment, the electric vehicle supply equipment comprises a voltage source, and wherein closing the switch connects the voltage source to the one of the electrical couplers.

[0038] According to an embodiment, the mechanical couplers each include a latch, and wherein the electric vehicle supply equipment is configured such that the voltages associated with the electrical couplers are the same when the latches are mechanically engaged with the respective charging ports of the pair of vehicles.

[0039] According to an embodiment, the electric vehicle supply equipment is configured such that disengagement of the latch results in a change in a voltage associated with at least one of the electrical couplers.

[0040] According to an embodiment, the change is an increase in voltage.

[0041] According to the present invention, a method includes: in response to detecting a difference between voltages associated with electrical couplers on opposite ends of electric vehicle supply equipment, each of which is configured to be electrically connected to a vehicle so that a pair of vehicles can exchange power via the electric vehicle supply equipment, causing a voltage associated with one of the electrical couplers to change to signal one of the pair of vehicles to cease providing power.

[0042] In one aspect of the invention, said causing comprises closing a switch of said electric vehicle supply equipment.

[0043] In one aspect of the invention, said causing comprises connecting a voltage source of said electric vehicle supply equipment to said one of said electrical couplers.

[0044] In one aspect of the invention, the voltages are the same when latches on the opposing ends of the electric vehicle supply equipment are engaged with charging ports of the pair of vehicles.

[0045] In one aspect of the invention, in response to disengagement of one of the latches, a voltage associated with at least one of the electrical couplers is changed.

[0046] In one aspect of the invention, said changing is increasing said voltage.

[0047] According to the present invention, an electric vehicle power supply equipment is provided, which has: a wire assembly, the wire assembly includes a pair of mechanical couplers configured to mechanically engage a charging port of a vehicle and a circuit configured to be electrically connected to the vehicle to allow the vehicle to exchange power; a power source; and a controller, the controller being configured to selectively electrically connect the power source to some of the circuits based on whether the voltages associated with the circuits are the same.

[0048] According to an embodiment, each of the mechanical couplers comprises a latch, and wherein the cordset is configured such that disengagement of one of the latches results in a change in at least one of the voltages.

[0049] According to an embodiment, the change is an increase.

[0050] According to an embodiment, said voltage is the same during said power exchange.

[0051] According to an embodiment, the invention also features a switch, wherein selectively electrically connecting the power source to some of the circuits includes selectively closing the switch.

Claims

1. A charging system, comprising: Electric vehicle power supply equipment, the electric vehicle power supply equipment including a pair of mechanical couplers at opposite ends thereof, each configured to mechanically engage with a charging port of a vehicle, and an electrical coupler each configured to electrically connect to the vehicle so that a pair of vehicles can exchange power; and a controller, the controller being programmed to cause a voltage associated with one of the electrical couplers to change in response to detecting a difference between voltages associated with the electrical couplers to signal one of the pair of vehicles to cease providing power. 2 . The charging system of claim 1 , wherein the electric vehicle supply equipment includes a switch, and wherein causing the voltage associated with one of the electrical couplers to change includes closing the switch.

3. The charging system of claim 2, wherein the electric vehicle supply equipment includes a voltage source, and wherein closing the switch connects the voltage source to the one of the electrical couplers.

4. The charging system of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical couplers each include a latch, and wherein the electric vehicle supply equipment is configured such that the voltages associated with the electrical couplers are the same when the latches are mechanically engaged with the respective charging ports of the pair of vehicles.

5. The charging system of claim 4, wherein the electric vehicle supply equipment is configured such that disengagement of the latch results in a change in a voltage associated with at least one of the electrical couplers.

6. The charging system of claim 4, wherein the change is an increase in voltage.

7. A method comprising: In response to detecting a difference between voltages associated with electrical couplers on opposite ends of electric vehicle supply equipment, each configured to be electrically connected to a vehicle so that a pair of vehicles can exchange power via the electric vehicle supply equipment, a voltage associated with one of the electrical couplers is changed to signal one of the pair of vehicles to cease providing power.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the causing comprises closing a switch of the electric vehicle supply equipment.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the causing comprises connecting a voltage source of the electric vehicle supply equipment to the one of the electrical couplers.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the voltages are the same when latches on the opposing ends of the electric vehicle supply equipment are engaged with charging ports of the pair of vehicles.

11. The method of claim 10, in response to disengagement of one of the latches, changing a voltage associated with at least one of the electrical couplers. The method of claim 11 , wherein the changing is increasing the voltage.

13. An electric vehicle power supply device, comprising: a cordset including a pair of mechanical couplers configured to mechanically engage a charging port of a vehicle and circuitry configured to electrically connect with the vehicle to allow the vehicle to exchange power; power supply; and a controller configured to selectively electrically connect the power source to some of the circuits based on whether the voltages associated with the circuits are the same.

14. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 13, wherein each of the mechanical couplers includes a latch, and wherein the cordset is configured such that disengagement of one of the latches results in a change in at least one of the voltages.

15. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 13, further comprising a switch, wherein selectively electrically connecting the power source to some of the circuits comprises selectively closing the switch.

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