Vehicle-mounted charger for electric vehicle

Abstract

An on-board charger for an electric vehicle is configured to receive (a) a low frequency input alternating current; (b) inputting alternating current at high frequency; and (c) inputting direct current. The vehicle-mounted charger is bidirectional, is configured to output direct current to charge the battery, and is also configured to output low-frequency alternating current or high-frequency alternating current or direct current to discharge the battery.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method of charging and / or discharging a battery, for example, charging and / or discharging a battery through a battery management system (BMS) in an electric vehicle (EV). Specifically, the present invention relates to an electric vehicle having the ability to discharge its battery to the outside of the vehicle, and thus can appropriately return or supply charge (or power or electrical energy; these terms are used interchangeably) to a power source (such as a power grid) or a residence (such as a residential building or house, apartment building or apartment) or a work building or facility (such as an office). The present invention specifically relates to an on-board charger for an electric vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Wireless power transfer is achieved by induction between resonant coils and has been around since the late 19th century (notably demonstrated by Nikola Tesla around 1890). Since the early 2000s (around 2007), charging electric vehicles using inductive wireless power transfer has become a well-developed technology. As an industry, the wireless charging technology for EVs is just starting out, but its availability and attractiveness to EV users and EV original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are growing. Due to the inherent limitations in the efficiency of transmitting high-frequency power over distances greater than a few meters, the basic architecture of these inductive wireless electric vehicle charging systems remains the same regardless of the solution developed and the state of the technology.

[0003] The present invention relates to a significant change to this architecture, due to the high-efficiency high-frequency power transfer capabilities of capacitive cables, the development of interoperable EV charging communication standards (ISO 15118-20 and OCPP 2.0.1) that can support bidirectional WPT, and the continued development of on-board charger (OBC) technology and the standardization of OBCs for all medium / large EVs.

[0004] Electric vehicles typically charge from a power grid or a central power source. Such vehicles usually include an on-board charger (OBC) connected to a battery (or BMS). The power source is typically alternating current (AC), but automotive batteries and most of their internal electrical and electronic devices are usually powered by direct current (DC). Therefore, most automotive batteries output direct current (DC).

[0005] Therefore, electric vehicles typically have a single-phase rectifier to convert the input / input AC to DC for charging the battery with DC.

[0006] In the plug-in electric vehicle charging applications of the prior art, a plug-in charger is manually connected to the on-board charger (OBC) of the electric vehicle and supplies power to the OBC from the power grid, typically in the form of alternating current (AC) with a frequency of about 50 Hz (Hertz) or 60 Hz. The OBC has a rectifier function to convert the input AC into DC and then supply the DC to the battery management system (BMS) of the electric vehicle for charging the battery.

[0007] In the wireless charging applications of the prior art electric vehicles, power is provided to the on-board charging board of the electric vehicle wirelessly. The on-board charging board receives high-frequency AC power input, typically about 70 - 95 kHz (kilohertz) (usually about 80 - 85 kHz, especially about 85 kHz). Then the AC is supplied to a rectifier, which rectifies the AC into DC and then supplies the DC to the battery management system (BMS) of the electric vehicle. The BMS uses the DC to charge the battery. Since traditional OBCs are suitable for receiving alternating current with a frequency of about 50 Hz or 60 Hz, rather than high-frequency alternating current, a separate rectifier component is included.

[0008] Therefore, for electric vehicles that can be charged both plug-in and wirelessly, an OBC and a separate rectifier must be provided in the electric vehicle simultaneously. This is disadvantageous because the manufacturing cost of electric vehicles is very high and the weight is also heavy (both due to the relatively large number of required components).

[0009] Generally speaking, wireless systems are theoretically more preferable because they do not have the drawback of a charging system that needs to be plugged in, but these systems and vehicles do not allow discharging the battery outside the vehicle.

[0010] Known electric vehicles and their charging systems are described in, for example, EP 3974238, WO 2021 / 033131, US 11,427,101, WO 2019 / 122890, US 10,427,532, and US 2021 / 0136842.

[0011] Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide an improved or alternative electric vehicle.

[0012] The present invention aims to provide an alternative, preferably improved, electric vehicle and its charging system to solve one or more of the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0013] The present invention provides an on-board charger (OBC) for an electric vehicle, wherein the on-board charger is configured to receive:

[0014] (a) Low-frequency input alternating current;

[0015] (b) High-frequency input alternating current; and,

[0016] (c) Input direct current.

[0017] As described in the following embodiments, suitably, the OBC is configured to output direct current for charging the battery of an electric vehicle. Preferably, the OBC is bi-directional (as detailed in the present invention).

[0018] The present invention provides an electric vehicle (EV) including an OBC, and a system for charging and / or discharging the EV, the system including a power source (or battery management system, BMS) for charging the battery, wherein the EV includes an OBC and is capable of discharging to the outside from its battery. Also, a method for enabling an EV to output AC to the outside includes installing an OBC in the EV. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0019] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an on-board charger for an electric vehicle, wherein the on-board charger is configured to receive:

[0020] (a) Low-frequency input alternating current;

[0021] (b) High-frequency input alternating current; and

[0022] (c) Input direct current.

[0023] The on-board charger (OBC) in the embodiments of the present invention is configured to output direct current for charging the battery of the electric vehicle. Preferably, the OBC is bi-directional.

[0024] Therefore, the electric (engine) vehicle (EV) of the present invention may include means for charging / discharging (or power) between a battery (e.g., via a BMS) and a power source (e.g., the power grid) or a desired location (e.g., a residence or workplace).

[0025] Suitably, the OBC of the present invention has three interfaces, namely a low-frequency alternating current (AC) interface, a high-frequency alternating current (AC) interface, and a direct current (DC) interface. These interfaces can input power from different sources into the OBC and, when bi-directional, can also output power from the OBC.

[0026] In addition, there is provided an electric vehicle including the OBC of the present invention.

[0027] An electric vehicle (EV) can have one or more bi-directional connections to enable bi-directional flow of electrical energy (or power). Thus, the EV can output DC from the battery (usually via AC) to the external (such as a power source or a residence). This may involve the battery discharging DC to an OBC with inverter functionality, which then converts the DC to low-frequency (at a frequency of about 50 Hz or about 60 Hz) AC and optionally outputs the AC to a converter that converts the low-frequency AC to high-frequency (at a frequency in the range of about 70 - 95 kHz, typically about 80 - 85 kHz, preferably about 85 kHz) AC. The converter can then supply the high-frequency AC to an on-vehicle charging plate; the on-vehicle charging plate can wirelessly transmit the power to a receiver that does not belong to the electric vehicle, i.e., a receiver external to the electric vehicle, such as a ground charging plate of a wireless electric vehicle charging system. Preferably, the OBC also has inverter functionality to convert DC to high-frequency AC; similarly, this can also be wirelessly transmitted through an on-vehicle charging plate or the like.

[0028] Therefore, the EV is capable of allowing bi-directional flow of power (or electrical energy) between an external point and the battery. This can include one or more bi-directional connections. For example, there can be a bi-directional connection between an alternating current (AC) frequency converter and an on-board charger (OBC). The EV can include an alternating current (AC) frequency converter (FC). The FC can convert AC from one (e.g., higher) frequency to another (e.g., lower) frequency (of AC), such as from a high frequency to a low frequency, for example, converting a frequency in the range of 70 or 80 kHz to 90 or 95 kHz (especially 85 kHz) to a lower frequency, such as a frequency in the range of about 50 - 60 Hz (especially 50 Hz and 60 Hz). The FC is also capable of converting AC from (lower) low frequency to (higher) high frequency, such as from 50 - 60 Hz (especially 50 Hz and 60 Hz) to 70 / 80 to 90 / 95 kHz (especially 85 kHz). The EV can include (e.g., an AC) frequency converter (FC) capable of converting single-phase AC to three-phase AC, optionally through DC conversion, and vice versa. There can also be a bi-directional connection between the OBC and the battery (or BMS), a bi-directional connection between the on-vehicle charging plate and the AC frequency converter, and a bi-directional connection between the frequency converter and the OBC.

[0029] The OBC in the preferred embodiment is itself configured to output (a) low-frequency alternating current, (b) high-frequency alternating current, and / or (c) direct current. Specifically, the OBC can be configured to output all of the three currents of (a) low-frequency alternating current, (b) high-frequency alternating current, and (c) direct current. Thus, the direct current output from the battery can be output by the OBC in these three forms.

[0030] As will be understood, an EV does not require, and thus may not include or incorporate, a rectifier independent of the OBC. Such components typically provide a unidirectional flow of power (or electrical energy). However, the EV of the present invention can provide a bidirectional power flow.

[0031] In the EV of the present invention, a frequency converter can be provided to change the frequency of the AC supplied thereto. The (frequency-changed) AC can then be supplied to the OBC. In an embodiment, the converter changes (or converts) the frequency of the AC supplied to it by reducing the frequency, for example, from a frequency in the kHz range to a frequency in the Hz range. In a more preferred embodiment, the converter changes the frequency from a high frequency to a low frequency, for example, from 70 / 80 - 90 / 95 kHz to 50 - 60 Hz. In a more preferred embodiment, the converter changes the frequency from 85 kHz to 50 Hz or 60 Hz. In a preferred embodiment, the OBC itself includes a rectifier or rectifier component, and it is this rectifier capability that can convert the AC to DC (and supply the converted DC to the battery, for example, via the BMS). Thus, in such an EV, there is no need to provide a rectifier independent of the OBC. Suitably, there is a bidirectional connection between the frequency converter and the OBC, and / or, there is a bidirectional connection between the OBC and the BMS. Suitably, the bidirectional connection of the OBC complies with the ISO 15118 - 20 standard.

[0032] When referring to an EV, it means a road (or off-road) vehicle that is powered (or propelled) substantially or mainly by electrical energy and / or a battery, rather than an internal combustion engine. Preferably, the vehicle is driven only by electricity. However, an EV can also be a so-called "hybrid vehicle", i.e., the power can be provided by an internal combustion engine or a battery, or a combination of both. Preferably, an EV has one or more electric motors that can or are adapted to provide power or drive for one or more (road) wheels of the vehicle. However, a hybrid vehicle includes not only electric motors capable of driving one or more wheels but also an internal combustion (IC) engine. The IC engine can be driven by a liquid or fossil fuel, such as gasoline or diesel, or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or hydrogen (H2).

[0033] Compared with prior art electric vehicles, the present invention reduces the manufacturing cost of electric vehicles, reduces the number of components (thereby reducing the weight of the whole vehicle), while retaining the advantages of bidirectionality in the prior art systems.

[0034] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of controlling or regulating EV charging and / or discharging of (the present invention) or controlling the system of (the present invention). The method may include allowing or causing electric power to flow from the (EV's) battery to or output to a power source (such as the power grid) or a (human) dwelling (such as a residence or workplace). The method may include a two-way flow of electrical energy / power; for example, the EV is capable of discharging from its battery to the outside (outside the EV). The method may include wireless control. In addition, the method may also include measuring and / or monitoring various (useful) parameters, such as including the charge level in the battery and / or the electrical energy input / output rate of the battery or the electric vehicle.

[0035] The method may include controlling one or more (such as multiple) vehicles. In such a method, the controlled system is referred to as a "multiplex" system. The method may include identifying one or more vehicles and / or regulating the charging and / or discharging of one or more vehicles.

[0036] The method may involve controlling one or more electrical and / or electronic components of the EV, such as the vehicle's frequency converter, OBC, and / or BMS.

[0037] Therefore, the method may involve managing or controlling a fleet, for example, charging and / or discharging specific vehicles when required or needed, such as when the electricity price is the lowest.

[0038] In the present invention, an electric vehicle can be wirelessly charged using magnetic field wireless power transfer (MF WPT).

[0039] The term "central component" used in this application refers to the combination of a power source and a converter. The term "ground component" used in this application refers to one or more grounded charging plates connected to the converter.

[0040] For example, PCT / EP2022 / 065760 (published as WO 2022 / 258782) describes an embodiment of the combination of a central and a ground component suitable for powering multiple grounded charging plates (such as in the present invention). It can be understood that the "wireless charging station" mentioned in this document is equivalent to the "grounded charging plate" in the present invention. AC with a frequency of 70 - 95 kHz can be directly provided from the on-vehicle charging plate to the OBC of the present invention.

[0041] In countries where 50 Hz AC has been approved for household power supply, preferably 50 Hz AC output is used. For example, in the UK. However, in countries where 60 Hz has been approved for household power supply, preferably 60 Hz output is used. For example, in the US. It can be understood that the required frequency will be determined one by one according to the standards of the EV manufacturing and / or using country.

[0042] Existing electric vehicles can be charged by plugging a plug into a power supply-capable socket (such as the power from the power grid). Generally, this involves the on-board charger being directly connected to the power grid through a cable / plug-in charger or through a traditional cable / traditional plug-in charger. However, in a traditional MF WPT system, the on-board charger is bypassed. This is because, in such a traditional MFWPT system, the rectifier is part of the vehicle components and directly supplies power to the battery of the electric vehicle. However, the advantage of the present invention is that there is no need to bypass the OBC, because different from the traditional OBC, the OBC of the present invention can receive a high-frequency AC input. This means that different from the traditional MF WPT system, an independent rectifier component is not required.

[0043] According to some current legal standards, there is an upper limit to the total amount of power that can be directly fed into the OBC of a vehicle (for example, about 7.4 kW if a single-phase power supply is used). However, there is no such legal limit when directly supplying power to the battery currently.

[0044] The EV of the present invention can use any suitable AC frequency. However, standards and / or legal restrictions often limit the allowable frequencies. Appropriately, the frequencies used are 50 - 60 Hz and 70 - 95 kHz. Most preferably, the frequencies are about 50 Hz, about 60 Hz, and about 85 kHz.

[0045] Returning to the OBC, the OBC can be switchable between one or more modes. For example, the on-board charger can be switchable between a plug-in charging mode and a wireless charging mode. The OBC can be configured to receive (i) low-frequency (such as 50 Hz or 60 Hz) input alternating current, (ii) high-frequency (such as 70 - 95 kHz, preferably about 80 - 85 kHz, especially about 85 kHz) input alternating current, and / or (iii) input direct current. Since it can receive low-frequency and high-frequency AC inputs, the OBC is applicable to electric vehicles configured to be charged using wireless and plug-in charging systems. Since it can receive DC input, it may be particularly useful when retrofitting existing electric vehicles with a rectifier component independent of the original OBC, because it enables the OBC to receive the input from the rectifier instead of the rectifier having to directly supply power to the battery (through the BMS). The rectifier can be installed as an integrated component on the on-board charging board (as described in other parts of this document).

[0046] The OBC can have a low-frequency AC mode, in which the OBC is configured to receive low-frequency (such as 50 Hz or 60 Hz) AC input. When in the low-frequency AC mode, the OBC can be configured to receive the input from a plug-in charger. Therefore, the low-frequency AC mode can be used for plug-in charging.

[0047] Optionally or additionally, the OBC may have a high-frequency AC mode, in which the OBC is configured to receive a high-frequency (e.g., about 70 - 95 kHz, preferably about 80 - 85 kHz, more preferably about 85 kHz) AC input. When in the high-frequency AC mode, the OBC may be configured to receive an input from the on-vehicle charging plate of an electric vehicle. Thus, the high-frequency AC mode can be used for wireless charging. Embodiments including such a high-frequency AC mode are preferred because an additional converter independent of the OBC is not required.

[0048] Optionally or additionally, the OBC may have a DC mode, in which the OBC is configured to receive a DC input. When in the DC mode, the OBC may be configured to receive an input from a plug-in DC charger or a rectifier, which in turn may be configured to receive an input from the on-vehicle charging plate of an electric vehicle. Thus, the DC mode can be used for plug-in charging or wireless charging. Known on-vehicle charging plates for wireless charging include their own rectifiers that can receive high-frequency alternating current and output direct current; thus, if such a charging plate is installed on a vehicle, its output can provide a DC input to the OBC. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the manner in which the EV equipped with the OBC receives high-power DC remains unchanged. For example, DC power from a DCFC (DC fast charging station) can be directly input to the BMS or the battery. In the DC mode, the DC power from the on-vehicle charging plate (through a rectifier, as described above) is received by the OBC. Therefore, the DC interface of the OBC is preferably a low-power DC interface or an auxiliary DC interface. In a specific embodiment, the rated power of the DC interface tested so far is 11 kilowatts.

[0049] The OBC may include one or more switches for switching the OBC between one or more modes. Preferably, the OBC includes two switches for switching the OBC between a low-frequency AC mode, a high-frequency AC mode, and a DC mode. More preferably, the OBC includes a first switch for switching the OBC between a plug-in charging mode and a wireless charging mode. Optionally or additionally, the OBC may include a second switch for switching between a wireless charging mode of directly receiving an input AC from the on-vehicle charging plate and a wireless charging mode of receiving an input AC from the on-vehicle charging plate through a rectifier independent of the OBC.

[0050] By switching the OBC between the above modes, an electric vehicle can perform wireless charging or plug-in charging as needed. It can be understood that during plug-in charging, the OBC should be switched to the low-frequency AC mode or the DC mode, and during wireless charging, it should be switched to the high-frequency AC mode or the DC mode. When in the direct current mode, the OBC may be configured to receive an input direct current from a plug-in DC charger or a rectifier; the rectifier can receive an input from the on-vehicle charging plate of the electric vehicle or be integrated with the on-vehicle charging plate.

[0051] The on-vehicle charger may include a control network. The control network may be used to control one or more components of the OBC, such as one or more interfaces of the OBC. Preferably, the control network is used to control one or more components of the OBC according to one or more inputs. Preferably, the one or more inputs are related to one or more of the following: the AC voltage of the inductive (WPT) coil of the on-vehicle charging board, the AC current of the inductive (WPT) coil of the on-vehicle charging board, the voltage on the OBC compensation capacitor, the (rectified) DC voltage, the (rectified) DC current, and information about the pre-charge control of the OBC, the high-side relay control, the low-side relay control, the (power module) temperature, and / or the gate drive signal (such as the S1, S2, S3, and / or S4 gate drive signals of the OBC).

[0052] The control network may include one or more sub-networks, such as multiple sub-networks. Preferably, the control network includes a sub-network for controlling the interface of the OBC related to the high-frequency AC mode and a sub-network for controlling the interface of the OBC related to the DC mode.

[0053] The control network may include multiple components configured to communicate with each other, that is, to exchange information. This may be achieved through one or more communication paths, and the communication paths may be unidirectional or bidirectional.

[0054] The on-vehicle charging board may be connected to a component called a "compensation network". The compensation network connected to the on-vehicle charging board of the EV of the present invention may be conventional or industry-standard. These systems usually have a compensation network connected to the on-vehicle charging board.

[0055] Therefore, the present invention also provides a new communication network that enables the various components of the system to communicate with each other.

[0056] Traditional systems usually have a power supply to power the inverter / converter. The converter is connected to a controller. The controller (usually wirelessly) broadcasts signals to a controller that forms part of the EV (the former controller is commonly referred to as the "ground-side controller" in the art, and the latter controller is commonly referred to as the "vehicle-side controller" in the art). The vehicle-side controller may communicate with a rectifier, an alignment controller, and / or a battery management system (BMS).

[0057] The wireless signals used in such systems usually comply with the same legal standards as home Wi-Fi, that is, IEEE802.11n.

[0058] The vehicle side controller can communicate with one or more other components of an electric vehicle. For example, this can be achieved by using a Controller Area Network (CAN), etc. The CAN can be for a specific vehicle or vehicle type, such as vehicles produced by different manufacturers. The CAN can comply with the ISO standard ISO 151188.

[0059] In the present invention, the ground side controller can operate using a general CAN. This enables the ground side controller, as well as the central and ground components of the system of the present invention, to communicate with any type of electric vehicle positioned on any ground charging plate of the system. This is more advantageous than using a CAN for a specific vehicle or vehicle type because it allows various different types of vehicles to communicate with the system of the present invention.

[0060] In the present invention, the ground side controller is capable of identifying a specific vehicle or vehicle type, for example, based on data provided by the vehicle side controller.

[0061] In a conventional system, in addition to the compensation network connected to the on-vehicle charging plate, there is usually also a compensation network connected to the ground charging plate. However, in the present invention, the system can include a (passive) Radio Frequency Identification device (RFID device), which can be connected to the ground charging plate in addition to the compensation network. This enables the system to identify the ground charging plate where the electric vehicle is parked, which is not always possible or necessary in the prior art systems. Specifically, many conventional wireless electric vehicle charging systems are one-to-one wireless electric vehicle charging systems. This means that only one ground charging plate is connected to each converter (usually through a conventional cable). In such a one-to-one system, the ground side controller can identify the ground charging plate where the electric vehicle is parked by identifying the converter involved (because if only one ground charging plate is connected to the converter, then if the converter is involved, that ground charging plate must be the ground charging plate where the electric vehicle is parked).

[0062] Once such identification is achieved, the ground side controller can instruct the converter to supply a specified power to the ground charging plate and then supply power wirelessly to the electric vehicle parked there. However, in a wireless electric vehicle charging system such as that disclosed in PCT / EP2022 / 065760, the wireless electric vehicle charging system can take the form of a one-to-many wireless electric vehicle charging system. This means that there may be multiple ground charging plates connected to each converter, usually through one or more capacitive cables. Capacitive cables for transmitting electric power between a power source and a load are known in the art and are described, for example, in WO 2010 / 026380, WO 2019 / 234449, WO 2021 / 094783, WO 2021 / 094782, and WO 2020 / 120932.

[0063] In such a one-to-many system, the identification of the converter involved by the ground-side controller may not be sufficient to inform the ground-side controller on which ground charging plate the electric vehicle is parked (since the electric vehicle may be parked on any one of the ground charging plates connected to the converter). Therefore, in a one-to-many wireless electric vehicle charging system, it is desirable to provide a method to inform the ground-side controller on which ground charging plate the electric vehicle is parked, so that the ground-side controller can instruct the converter to supply power to the correct ground charging plate when needed.

[0064] The present invention also provides a system that includes one or more ground charging plates capable of communicating with a ground-side controller and / or a control system. The system of the present invention may include one or more ground charging plates capable of communicating with a ground-side controller and / or a control system, and all ground charging plates are defined as in other parts of this document. Accordingly, the system of the present invention may include RFID devices connected to each ground charging plate. The RFID device can inform the ground-side controller (central component) whether an electric vehicle is parked on the ground charging plate (ground component), and specifically on which ground charging plate it is parked. After receiving this information from the RFID device, the ground-side controller can instruct the converter to supply power to the specific ground charging plate and then wirelessly supply power to the electric vehicle parked on that ground charging plate when needed. The RFID device in the ground component can also be used as a reference when the vehicle-side controller communicates with the central component (such as the ground-side controller) of the matching ground charging plate.

[0065] Therefore, RFID technology can enable the ground-side controller of the system of the present invention to identify the ground charging plate on which the electric vehicle is parked.

[0066] Correspondingly, the present invention also provides a control system capable of communicating with different types of electric vehicles (EVs). The system may include (passive) RFID, optionally connected to one or more ground charging plates. The system may also include a ground-side controller, and when the electric vehicle is located on the ground charging plate connected to the RFID, the RFID can inform the ground-side controller.

[0067] It can be understood that in the present invention, the control system and / or the ground-side controller can control the current flowing in and out of each ground charging plate. Specifically, the control system and / or the ground-side controller can control the power supplied to each ground charging plate at a specific time. Specifically, the control system and / or the ground-side controller can also control the power drawn from each ground charging plate when the electric vehicle is located on one or more ground charging plates that supply power to the ground charging plate. It can be understood that for each ground charging plate in the system, the power supplied to or drawn from each ground charging plate at a specific time can be different.

[0068] In the present invention, bidirectionality may be very important. In addition to obtaining power from a power source (such as a wireless electric vehicle charging point), the EV itself can also supply power from its battery to a grounded charging plate (for example, so as to supply power to the power grid or the power source).

[0069] There can be multiple reasons why an EV can supply power by itself. In some aspects, an EV can be regarded as a mobile battery or a mobile power source. The EV can be charged at a time or place selected by the user. An electric vehicle can also be discharged at a time and place selected by the operator.

[0070] For example, some airports may wish to allow electric vehicles to park in long-term parking lots at a lower price, provided that the EV operator is willing to allow the airport to draw power from the EV battery when needed. In this way, the airport can use the power of the EV; this power can be used to supply power to components or parts of the airport, charge (other) EVs, or recharge or restore the (original) power level. Therefore, when the electric vehicle is parked, that is, not in use and stationary, it can supply power to or draw power from the grounded charging plate.

[0071] In the present invention, preferably, bidirectionality is achieved using the same component (i.e., the converter), rather than using two separate components (i.e., a rectifier for charging and an inverter for re-supplying power to the power grid).

[0072] For example, an additional inverter can be appropriately installed between the battery and the on-vehicle charging plate. This can provide a supply route (from the battery to the inverter, and then to the on-vehicle charging plate) to transmit power from the battery back to the on-vehicle charging plate. This is because the opposite route (from the on-vehicle charging plate to the rectifier, and then to the battery) can only operate unidirectionally (because the rectifier is unidirectional). The inverter component can be appropriately installed on the on-vehicle charging plate.

[0073] The grounded-side converter can be connected to a Charging Station Management System (CSMS). This is the so-called "cloud". This converter is capable of communicating with the CSMS using a CAN called OCPP. By using this CAN for communication, the EV can communicate with any desired CSMS because this may be a standard CAN used by many CSMSs.

[0074] Preferably, the CSMS can identify the system, that is, the central component including the converter and the grounded component and all the grounded charging plates connected thereto as one charging point, rather than identifying each grounded charging plate separately, because there may be only one grounded-side converter. This is particularly relevant to systems including grounded components, such as the grounded component described in PCT / EP2022 / 065760 (publication number WO2022 / 258782).

[0075] Preferably, the CSMS is also capable of communicating with the "vehicle cloud", such as connecting to the network of the EV computer system and / or the application of the vehicle owner or operator, such as the application that can be installed on their mobile phones. This application can also monitor and / or provide parameters or useful information related to the battery, battery health, battery charge level, etc. Appropriately, the following (partial) information can be communicated and interacted between the CSMS and the vehicle cloud: battery charge details and / or details of which parking space or location the EV is parked in.

[0076] The advantage of this system is that the communication from the CSMS to the vehicle cloud can help update the available information on the vehicle cloud. This can be appropriately carried out for vehicle identification through (including) passive RFID.

[0077] Another advantage of the control system of the present invention is the fast update speed of the available information on the vehicle cloud. In the systems of the prior art, the vehicle cloud must first report information to the CSMS, which may take more time. In the present invention, the system can have advantages, for example, for an operating fleet, people may hope to (relatively quickly) know which vehicles have been charged, which vehicles have not been charged, or the battery charge level of individual vehicles.

[0078] Therefore, the embodiments of the present invention provide a multi-interface OBC for electric vehicles. The multi-interface can be used for power supply or power extraction through different input / outputs (i.e., high-frequency AC input / output, low-frequency AC input / output, and DC input / output). By bidirectionally accepting high-frequency AC for WPT and DC from other WPT systems and / or rectifiers, the multi-interface can be used together with charging components produced by other manufacturers.

[0079] Embodiment

[0080] The present invention will be described through the following embodiments, which are only for illustration and are not restrictive. These embodiments refer to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0081] Figure 1 shows a schematic block diagram of the internal circuit of the on-board charger (OBC) of the present invention;

[0082] Figure 2 shows the circuit diagram of the on-board charger (OBC) of the present invention;

[0083] Figure 3 shows the circuit diagram of the on-board charger (OBC) of the present invention, and Figure 2 compared with the OBC of

[0084] Figure 4 shows the circuit diagram of the on-board charger (OBC) of the present invention, which is specifically configured to receive single-phase input;

[0085] Figure 5 The schematic block diagram of the internal circuit of the on-vehicle charger (OBC) of the present invention is shown;

[0086] Figure 6 is shown Figure 1 the schematic block diagram of the control network of the on-vehicle charger (OBC); and,

[0087] Figure 7 is shown in more detail Figure 6 the input schematic diagram of the interface controller of the control network.

[0088] Embodiment 1 - On-Board Charger (OBC)

[0089] Refer to Figure 1 The OBC of the present invention has three interfaces, namely the low-frequency alternating current (AC) interface 1, the high-frequency alternating current (AC) interface 2, and the direct current (DC) interface 3.

[0090] For this embodiment, the electrical "upstream" part of the OBC circuit refers to the OBC electrical components connected near the input end, that is, the plug-in charger and / or the on-vehicle charging board, while the electrical "downstream" part of the OBC circuit refers to the OBC electrical components connected near the output end, that is, the battery management system (BMS). Therefore, if a component is referred to as the electrical "upstream" of another component, then this component is closer to the connection of the input end than the other component. Conversely, if a component is referred to as the electrical "downstream" of another component, then this component is closer to the connection of the output end than the other component.

[0091] The low-frequency AC interface 1 is configured to receive an AC input with a frequency of about 50 Hz or 60 Hz from the plug-in charger during plug-in charging. Then, this interface 1 transmits the low-frequency AC input to the filtering unit 4a, which can eliminate (or at least suppress) the error harmonics in the input AC, and then transmits the input AC to the power factor correction (PFC) unit 5a. The PFC unit 5a has a rectifier function and can rectify the input AC into DC. The PFC unit 5a is connected downstream to the switch 6a ( Figure 1 shown by a dotted line in

[0092] Suitably, the low-frequency AC interface 1 complies with appropriate industry standards, such as IEC 61851, SAE J 1772, GB, or similar standards.

[0093] The high-frequency AC interface 2 is configured to receive an AC input with a frequency of approximately 85 kHz from the on-vehicle charging board of an electric vehicle during wireless charging. Then, this interface 2 transmits the high-frequency AC input to the filtering unit 4b, which can eliminate (or at least suppress) the error harmonics in the input AC, and then transmits the input AC to the PFC unit 5b. The PFC unit 5b has a rectifying function and can rectify the input AC into DC. The PFC unit 5b is connected to the switch 6b ( Figure 1 shown by a dashed line in

[0094] appropriately, the high-frequency AC interface 2 complies with appropriate industry standards, such as IEC 61851, SAE J1772, GB, GB / T (20234 / 18487 / 27930), ISO 15118, SAE J2954, IEC 61980 or similar standards.

[0095] The DC interface 3 is configured to receive a DC input, such as a DC input from a plug-in DC charger, or more commonly a DC input from a rectifier elsewhere in the electric vehicle, which is connected to the on-vehicle charging board of the vehicle and is adapted to convert the 85 kHz AC input into DC (provided to the DC interface 3 of the OBC). The DC interface 3 is connected to the switch 6b. The on-vehicle charging boards known in the industry include integrated rectifiers; thus, their outputs can enter this DC input. Therefore, the DC interface 3 can achieve interoperability with the on-vehicle charging boards with integrated rectifiers produced by manufacturers in the industry.

[0096] appropriately, the DC interface 3 complies with appropriate industry standards, such as ISO 15118, DIN 70121, CHAdeMO, CCS or similar standards.

[0097] The switch 6b is configured such that at any given time, only one of the high-frequency AC interface 2 and the DC interface 3 can be electrically connected to the downstream components of the OBC. Therefore, the switch 6b can be used to switch the OBC between the high-frequency AC mode and the DC mode.

[0098] Downstream, the switch 6b is connected to another filtering unit 4c. This filtering unit 4c helps filter the high-order harmonics and the error frequencies that still exist after the PFC unit 5b rectifies the high-frequency AC input. It can be understood that this is not a problem for the DC input of the DC interface 3. Therefore, if the switch 6b is configured such that the DC interface 3 is in the active state instead of the high-frequency AC interface 2, the DC provided to the filtering unit 4c will pass through the filtering unit 4c unchanged. The filtering unit 4c is connected to the switch 6a downstream.

[0099] The switch 6a is configured such that at any given time, only one of (i) the upstream circuit associated with the low-frequency AC interface 1 and (ii) the upstream circuits associated with the high-frequency AC interface 2 and the DC interface 3 can be connected to the downstream components of the OBC. Thus, the switch 6a can be used to switch the OBC between (i) the low-frequency AC mode and (ii) the high-frequency AC mode or the DC mode.

[0100] The PFC stage of the OBC can be described as a bidirectional totem-pole converter with a full-bridge structure.

[0101] Downstream, the switch 6a is connected to a DC-AC converter 7, which converts the DC voltage provided by the switch 6a into the voltage required by the electric vehicle's battery. Then, the OBC outputs the converted DC at the required voltage to the battery management system (BMS) of the electric vehicle, which uses this DC to charge the battery.

[0102] The above-described OBC circuit is described in terms of charging the electric vehicle's battery. However, the OBC is bidirectional and can thus be used to discharge the power of the battery to the grid or other loads when needed by the electric vehicle. Thus, it can be understood that all connections between the above-described OBC electrical components are bidirectional (hence Figure 1 the use of double arrows to represent these connections). Importantly, the PFC units 5a, 5b have an inverter function in addition to a rectifier function. This enables the PFC units 5a, 5b to operate bidirectionally, thereby converting the input DC into an output AC at an appropriate frequency.

[0103] It can be understood that in such a bidirectional OBC, the interfaces 1, 2, and 3 can be used as inputs and / or outputs respectively according to the current flow direction at any given time. Similarly, during battery charging, the DC output from the DC-DC converter 7 to the BMS can serve as a DC input from the BMS to the DC-DC converter 7 when the current flows in the other direction to supply the grid or another load (i.e., during discharging).

[0104] Embodiment 2 - Switching the OBC of Embodiment 1 between Different Modes

[0105] From the above Embodiment 1, it can be understood that due to the presence of the switches 6a, 6b, at any given time, only one of the low-frequency AC interface 1, the high-frequency AC interface 2, and the DC interface 3 can be electrically connected to the output of the OBC (here, the "output" refers to the DC output from the DC-DC converter to the BMS during charging), and thus be electrically connected to the BMS. Therefore, by appropriately controlling the positions of these two switches, it is possible to control which of these three interfaces the OBC selects to connect to the battery at a specific time. It can be understood that in Figure 1 the high-frequency AC interface 2 is currently selected, so the shown OBC is in the high-frequency AC mode.

[0106] The OBC in Embodiment 1 has a low-frequency AC mode, i.e., the low-frequency AC interface 1 is selected. The OBC also has a high-frequency AC mode (as shown, the high-frequency AC interface 2 is selected) and a DC mode (as shown, the DC interface 3 is selected). By appropriately positioning the switches 6a, 6b, one of these three modes can be selected instead of the other two. Figure 1 shown, the high-frequency AC interface 2 is selected) and a DC mode (as shown, Figure 1 shown, the DC interface 3 is selected). By appropriately positioning the switches 6a, 6b, one of these three modes can be selected instead of the other two.

[0107] When a plug-in charger is connected to the OBC, the low-frequency AC mode will be selected, allowing the plug-in charger to supply power to the low-frequency AC interface 1 at a frequency of 50 Hz or 60 Hz. Depending on the positioning of the switches 6a and 6b, the OBC will process the AC input of 50 Hz or 60 Hz, as described in Embodiment 1, and then transfer DC of an appropriate voltage to the BMS, which will use the DC to charge the battery.

[0108] Similarly, when an electric vehicle is charged wirelessly and the on-vehicle charging board of the electric vehicle receives power, the high-frequency AC mode or the DC mode can be selected. The selection of the high-frequency AC mode or the DC mode depends on whether the OBC is installed as part of a new electric vehicle or retrofitted as part of an old electric vehicle, and the rectifier component of the old electric vehicle is independent of the OBC. For the former, the DC interface 3 is less likely to be used, so the high-frequency AC mode will be selected. For the latter, either the high-frequency AC mode or the DC mode may be appropriate, so the high-frequency AC mode or the DC mode can be selected; in this case, which of these modes is selected will depend on the specific application of the OBC and the choice of the electric vehicle user, operator, or manufacturer.

[0109] The switches 6a, 6b can be controlled in various ways, including manual input by the electric vehicle user / operator and the control system of the present invention (such as the OBC controller). Similarly, the control method for switching the OBC between the three applicable modes will be determined at the discretion of the electric vehicle user, operator, or manufacturer.

[0110] Embodiment 3 - On-Board Charger (OBC)

[0111] See Figure 2 , the OBC of the present invention has three interfaces, namely a low-frequency alternating current (AC) interface (plug-in interface), a high-frequency alternating current (AC) interface (85 kHz AC wireless interface), and a direct current (DC) interface (DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface).

[0112] For this embodiment, the electrical "upstream" part of the OBC circuit refers to the OBC electrical components connected near the input end, namely the plug-in charger and / or the on-vehicle charging board, while the electrical "downstream" part of the OBC circuit refers to the OBC electrical components connected near the output end, namely the battery management system (BMS). Therefore, if a component is referred to as the electrical "upstream" of another component, then this component is closer to the connection of the input end than the other component. Conversely, if a component is referred to as the electrical "downstream" of another component, then this component is closer to the connection of the output end than the other component.

[0113] The plug-in interface is configured to receive a single-phase or three-phase AC input with a frequency of approximately 50 Hz or 60 Hz from the plug-in charger during plug-in charging. Then, this interface transmits the low-frequency AC input to a filtering unit including three inductors (one for each phase of the input AC), which can eliminate (or at least suppress) the error harmonics in the input AC, and then transmits the input AC to the power factor correction (PFC) unit. The PFC unit has a rectifier function and can rectify the input AC into DC. The rectifier function includes a set of switches, namely six MOSFETs (two for each phase of the AC input; one MOSFET is used for each phase during charging, and the other is used during discharging). The interface switch is connected downstream of the PFC unit, as described in detail below.

[0114] Appropriately, the plug-in interface complies with appropriate industry standards, such as IEC 61851, SAE J1772, GB, or similar standards.

[0115] The 85 kHz AC wireless interface is configured to receive an AC input with a frequency of approximately 79 - 90 kHz (i.e., a frequency compliant with the industry standard SAE J2954) from the on-vehicle charging board of the electric vehicle during wireless charging. Then, this interface transmits the high-frequency AC input to a filtering unit including an inductor, which can eliminate (or at least suppress) the error harmonics in the input AC, and then transmits the input AC to the PFC unit. The PFC unit has a rectifier function and can rectify the input AC into DC. The rectifier function includes a set of switches, namely four MOSFETs (two for each phase of the AC input). The PFC unit is connected to the secondary interface switch, as described in detail below.

[0116] Appropriately, the 85 kHz AC wireless interface complies with appropriate industry standards, such as IEC 61851, SAE J1772, GB / T (20234 / 18487 / 27930), ISO 15118, SAE J2954, IEC 61980, or similar standards.

[0117] The DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface is configured to receive a DC input, such as from a plug-in DC charger or from a rectifier elsewhere in the electric vehicle that is connected to the vehicle's on-board charging pad and is adapted to convert an 85 kHz AC input to DC (which is provided to the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface of the OBC). The DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface is connected to a secondary interface switch.

[0118] Suitably, the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface complies with appropriate industry standards, such as ISO 15118, DIN 70121, CHAdeMO, CCS or similar standards.

[0119] The secondary interface switch is shown as a Figure 2 bipolar double-throw (DPDT) relay in

[0120] which is configured such that at any given time, only one of the 85 kHz AC wireless interface and the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface can be electrically connected to the downstream components of the OBC. Thus, the secondary interface switch can be used to switch the OBC between the high-frequency AC mode and the DC mode.

[0121] Downstream, the secondary interface switch is connected to another filtering unit, namely an RC / LCL filtering unit. This filtering unit helps to filter out higher-order harmonics and spurious frequencies that remain after the PFC unit rectifies the high-frequency AC input. It can be understood that this is not a problem for the DC input of the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface, so that if the secondary interface switch is configured such that the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface is active rather than the 85 kHz AC wireless interface, the DC provided to the filtering unit will pass through the filtering unit unchanged. Downstream of the filtering unit is the interface switch.

[0121] The interface switch is shown as a Figure 2 bipolar double-throw (DPDT) relay in

[0122] Downstream, the interface switch is connected to the DC link, acting as an intermediate buffer element between the input source and the output load, with the advantage that the input source and the load may have different instantaneous powers, voltages, and / or frequencies. The DC link takes the form of a capacitor and can act as a mediator between the AC-DC converter and the DC-DC converter of the plug-in interface or as a mediator between the PFC units of the 85kHz AC wireless interface or the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface, depending on the positions of the interface switch and the secondary interface switch.

[0123] The PFC stage of the OBC can be described as a bidirectional totem-pole converter with a full-bridge structure.

[0124] Downstream, the interface switch is connected to a bidirectional isolated DC-DC converter (i.e., a bidirectional CLLLC resonant converter), which converts the DC voltage supplied to it by the DC link into the voltage required by the electric vehicle's battery. As Figure 2 shown, this converter is isolated by a transformer, with four MOSFET switches on each side of the transformer. Then, the OBC outputs the converted DC at the required voltage to charge the battery.

[0125] The above-described OBC circuit is described in terms of charging the electric vehicle's battery. However, the OBC is bidirectional and can therefore be used in electric vehicles to discharge the power of the battery to the grid or other loads when needed. Therefore, it can be understood that all connections between the above-described OBC electrical components are bidirectional. Importantly, the PFC unit has an inverter function in addition to its rectifier function. This enables the PFC unit to operate bidirectionally, thereby converting the input DC into an output AC with an appropriate frequency.

[0126] It can be understood that in such a bidirectional OBC, the three interfaces can be used as inputs and / or outputs respectively according to the direction of current flow at any given time. Similarly, when the current flows in the other direction to supply the grid or another load (i.e., during discharging), the DC output from the bidirectional isolated DC-DC converter during battery charging can be changed to the DC input of the bidirectional isolated DC-DC converter.

[0127] Embodiment 4 - Switching the OBC of Embodiment 3 between Different Modes

[0128] As can be understood from the above Embodiment 3, due to the existence of the interface switch and the secondary interface switch, at any given time, only one of the plug-in interface, the 85 kHz AC wireless interface, and the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface can be electrically connected to the output of the OBC (where the "output" here refers to the DC output of the bidirectional isolated DC-DC converter during charging), and thus be electrically connected to the BMS. Therefore, by appropriately controlling the positions of these two switches, it is possible to control which of these three interfaces the OBC selects to connect to the battery at a specific time. It can be understood that in Figure 2 , the plug-in interface is currently selected, so the OBC shown is in the low-frequency AC mode.

[0129] The OBC of Embodiment 3 has a low-frequency AC mode, that is, the plug-in interface is selected (as shown in Figure 2 ). The OBC also has a high-frequency AC mode (selecting the 85 kHz AC wireless interface) and a DC mode (selecting the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface). By appropriately positioning the interface switch and the secondary interface switch, one of these three modes can be selected instead of the other two.

[0130] When an AC plug-in charger is connected to the OBC, the low-frequency AC mode will be selected, allowing the plug-in charger to supply power to the plug-in interface at a frequency of 50 Hz or 60 Hz. According to the positioning of the interface switch and the secondary interface switch, as described in Embodiment 3, the OBC will process the 50 Hz or 60 Hz AC input to output DC with an appropriate voltage to charge the battery.

[0131] Similarly, when an electric vehicle is charged wirelessly and the on-vehicle charging board of the electric vehicle can receive power, the high-frequency AC mode or the DC mode can be selected. The selection of the high-frequency AC mode or the DC mode depends on whether the OBC is installed as part of a new electric vehicle or retrofitted as part of an old electric vehicle, and the rectifier component of the old electric vehicle is independent of the OBC. For the former, the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface is less likely to be used, so the high-frequency AC mode will be selected. For the latter, both the high-frequency AC mode and the DC mode may be applicable, so these two modes can be selected; in this case, which of these modes to select will depend on the specific application of the OBC and the choice of the electric vehicle user, operator, or manufacturer.

[0132] The interface switch and the secondary interface switch can be controlled in various ways, including manual input by the electric vehicle user / operator and the control system of the present invention (such as the OBC controller). Similarly, the control method for switching the OBC between the three applicable modes will be determined at the discretion of the electric vehicle user, operator, or manufacturer.

[0133] Embodiment 5 - On-Board Charger (OBC) - Full Filtration Design

[0134] See Figure 3 , the OBC of the present invention has three interfaces, namely a low-frequency alternating current (AC) interface (plug-in interface), a high-frequency alternating current (AC) interface (85 kHz AC wireless interface), and a direct current (DC) interface (DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface).

[0135] For this embodiment, the electrical "upstream" part of the OBC circuit refers to the OBC electrical components connected near the input end, that is, the plug-in charger and / or the on-vehicle charging board, while the electrical "downstream" part of the OBC circuit refers to the OBC electrical components connected near the output end, that is, the battery management system (BMS). Therefore, if a component is called the electrical "upstream" of another component, then this component is closer to the connection input end than the other component. Conversely, if a component is called the electrical "downstream" of another component, then this component is closer to the connection output end than the other component.

[0136] The plug-in interface is configured to receive a single-phase or three-phase AC input with a frequency of about 50 Hz or 60 Hz from a plug-in charger during plug-in charging. Then, this interface transmits the low-frequency AC input to a filtering unit including three inductors (one for each phase of the input AC), which can eliminate (or at least suppress) the error harmonics in the input AC, and then transmits the input AC to the power factor correction (PFC) unit. The PFC unit has a rectifier function and can rectify the input AC into DC. The rectifier function includes a group of switches, namely six MOSFETs (two for each phase of the AC input; one MOSFET is used for each phase during charging, and the other is used during discharging). The interface switch is connected downstream of the PFC unit, as described in detail below.

[0137] Appropriately, the plug-in interface complies with appropriate industry standards, such as IEC 61851, SAE J1772, GB, or similar standards.

[0138] The 85 kHz AC wireless interface is configured to receive an AC input with a frequency of about 79 - 90 kHz (i.e., a frequency compliant with the industry standard SAE J2954) from the on-vehicle charging board of an electric vehicle during wireless charging. Then, this interface transmits the high-frequency AC input to a filtering unit including an inductor, which can eliminate (or at least suppress) the error harmonics in the input AC, and then transmits the input AC to the PFC unit. The PFC unit has a rectifier function and can rectify the input AC into DC. The rectifier function includes a group of switches, namely four MOSFETs (two for each phase of the AC input). The PFC unit is connected to the secondary interface switch, as described in detail below.

[0139] Suitably, the 85kHz AC wireless interface complies with appropriate industry standards such as IEC 61851, SAE J1772, GB / T (20234 / 18487 / 27930), ISO 15118, SAE J2954, IEC 61980 or similar standards.

[0140] The DC (post - rectifier) wireless interface is configured to receive a DC input, such as a DC input from a plug - in DC charger or a DC input from a rectifier elsewhere in the electric vehicle that is connected to the vehicle's on - board charging pad and is adapted to convert an 85kHz AC input to DC (for the DC (post - rectifier) wireless interface provided to the OBC). The DC (post - rectifier) wireless interface is connected to the secondary interface switch.

[0141] Suitably, the DC (post - rectifier) wireless interface complies with appropriate industry standards such as ISO 15118, DIN70121, CHAdeMO, CCS or similar standards.

[0142] The secondary interface switch is shown as a double - pole double - throw (DPDT) relay in Figure 3 and is configured such that at any given time, only one of the 85kHz AC wireless interface and the DC (post - rectifier) wireless interface can be electrically connected to the downstream components of the OBC. Thus, the secondary interface switch can be used to switch the OBC between the high - frequency AC mode and the DC mode.

[0143] Downstream, the secondary interface switch is connected to another filtering unit, namely the RC / LCL filtering unit. This filtering unit helps to filter out higher - order harmonics and spurious frequencies that remain after the PFC unit rectifies the high - frequency AC input. It can be understood that this is not a problem for the DC input of the DC (post - rectifier) wireless interface. Thus, if the secondary interface switch is configured such that the DC (post - rectifier) wireless interface is active instead of the 85kHz AC wireless interface, the DC provided to the filtering unit will pass through the filtering unit unchanged. Downstream of the filtering unit is connected to another filtering unit, followed by an interface switch. The other filtering unit includes a fully isolated EMI filter, consisting of a shunt - damped LC filter and a transformer for source isolation. This topology is capable of filtering both common - mode and differential - mode noise currents. The topology of the filter itself, as well as the component values and structure within it, depends on the specific operating parameters of any particular design, but the key component is the presence of the transformer.

[0144] The interface switch is in Figure 3It is shown as a double-pole double-throw (DPDT) relay, which is configured such that at any given time, only one of (i) the upstream circuit associated with the plug-in interface and (ii) the upstream circuits associated with the 85 kHz AC wireless interface and the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface can be connected to the downstream components of the OBC. Therefore, the interface switch can be used to switch the OBC between (i) the low-frequency AC mode and (ii) the high-frequency AC mode or the DC mode.

[0145] Downstream, the interface switch is connected to the DC link, acting as an intermediate buffer element between the input source and the output load, with the advantage that the input source and the load may have different instantaneous powers, voltages, and / or frequencies. This DC link takes the form of a capacitor and can act as a mediator between the AC-DC converter and the DC-DC converter of the plug-in interface or as a mediator between the PFC units of the 85 kHz AC wireless interface or the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface, depending on the positions of the interface switch and the secondary interface switch.

[0146] The PFC stage of this OBC can be described as a bidirectional totem-pole converter with a full-bridge structure.

[0147] Downstream, the interface switch is connected to a bidirectional isolated DC-DC converter (i.e., a bidirectional CLLLC resonant converter), which converts the DC voltage supplied to it by the DC link into the voltage required by the electric vehicle's battery. As Figure 2 shown, this converter is isolated by a transformer, with four MOSFET switches on each side of the transformer. Then, the OBC outputs the converted DC at the required voltage to charge the battery.

[0148] The above circuit of the OBC is described based on the charging of the electric vehicle's battery. However, this OBC is bidirectional and can therefore be used in an electric vehicle to discharge the power of the battery to the grid or other loads when needed. Therefore, it can be understood that all connections between the above OBC electrical components are bidirectional. Importantly, the PFC unit has an inverter function in addition to its rectifier function. This enables the PFC unit to operate bidirectionally, thereby converting the input DC into an output AC with an appropriate frequency.

[0149] It can be understood that in such a bidirectional OBC, the three interfaces can be used as inputs and / or outputs respectively according to the current flow direction at any given time. Similarly, when the current flows in the other direction to supply the grid or another load (i.e., during discharging), the DC output from the bidirectional isolated DC-DC converter during battery charging can be changed to the DC input of the bidirectional isolated DC-DC converter.

[0150] Embodiment 6 - Switching the OBC of Embodiment 5 between Different Modes

[0151] As can be understood from the above Embodiment 5, due to the presence of the interface switch and the secondary interface switch, at any given time, only one of the plug-in interface, the 85 kHz AC wireless interface, and the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface can be electrically connected to the output of the OBC (here, the "output" refers to the DC output of the bi-directional isolated DC-DC converter during charging), and thus be electrically connected to the BMS. Therefore, by appropriately controlling the positions of these two switches, it is possible to control which of these three interfaces the OBC selects to connect to the battery at a specific time. It can be understood that in Figure 3 the plug-in interface is currently selected, so the OBC shown is in the low-frequency AC mode.

[0152] The OBC in Embodiment 5 has a low-frequency AC mode, that is, the plug-in interface is selected (as Figure 3 shown). The OBC also has a high-frequency AC mode (selecting the 85 kHz AC wireless interface) and a DC mode (selecting the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface). By appropriately positioning the interface switch and the secondary interface switch, one of these three modes can be selected instead of the other two.

[0153] When an AC plug-in charger is connected to the OBC, the low-frequency AC mode will be selected, allowing the plug-in charger to supply power to the plug-in interface at a frequency of 50 Hz or 60 Hz. According to the positioning of the interface switch and the secondary interface switch, as described in Embodiment 5, the OBC will process the 50 Hz or 60 Hz AC input to output DC of an appropriate voltage to charge the battery.

[0154] Similarly, when an electric vehicle is charged wirelessly and the on-vehicle charging board of the electric vehicle can receive power, the high-frequency AC mode or the DC mode can be selected. The selection of the high-frequency AC mode or the DC mode depends on whether the OBC is installed as part of a new electric vehicle or retrofitted as part of an old electric vehicle, and the rectifier component of the old electric vehicle is independent of the OBC. For the former, the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface is unlikely to be used, so the high-frequency AC mode will be selected. For the latter, both the high-frequency AC mode and the DC mode may be applicable, so either of these two modes can be selected; in this case, which of these modes to select will depend on the specific application of the OBC and the choice of the electric vehicle user, operator, or manufacturer.

[0155] The interface switch and the secondary interface switch can be controlled in various ways, including manual input by the electric vehicle user / operator and the control system of the present invention (such as the OBC controller). Similarly, the control method for switching the OBC between the three applicable modes will be determined at the discretion of the electric vehicle user, operator, or manufacturer.

[0156] Embodiment 7 - On-Board Charger (OBC) - Single-Phase Design

[0157] See Figure 4 , the OBC of the present invention has three interfaces, namely a low-frequency alternating current (AC) interface (plug-in interface), a high-frequency alternating current (AC) interface (85kHz AC wireless interface), and a direct current (DC) interface (DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface).

[0158] For this embodiment, the electrical "upstream" part of the OBC circuit refers to the OBC electrical components connected near the input end, namely the plug-in charger and / or the on-vehicle charging board, while the electrical "downstream" part of the OBC circuit refers to the OBC electrical components connected near the output end, namely the battery management system (BMS). Therefore, if a component is referred to as the electrical "upstream" of another component, then this component is closer to the connection of the input end than the other component. Conversely, if a component is referred to as the electrical "downstream" of another component, then this component is closer to the connection of the output end than the other component.

[0159] The plug-in interface is configured to receive a single-phase AC input with a frequency of approximately 50Hz or 60Hz from a plug-in charger during plug-in charging. Then, this interface transmits the low-frequency AC input to a filtering unit including an inductor, which can eliminate (or at least suppress) the error harmonics in the input AC, and then transmits the input AC to a power factor correction (PFC) unit. The PFC has a rectifier function and can rectify the input AC into DC. The rectifier function includes a set of switches, namely four MOSFETs (two MOSFETs are used during charging, and the other two are used during discharging). The PFC unit is connected downstream to an interface switch, as described in detail below.

[0160] Preferably, the plug-in interface complies with appropriate industry standards, such as IEC 61851, SAE J1772, GB, or similar standards.

[0161] The 85kHz AC wireless interface is configured to receive an AC input with a frequency of approximately 79 - 90kHz (i.e., a frequency compliant with the industry standard SAE J2954) from the on-vehicle charging board of an electric vehicle during wireless charging. Then, this interface transmits the high-frequency AC input to a filtering unit including an inductor, which can eliminate (or at least suppress) the error harmonics in the input AC, and then transmits the input AC to the PFC unit. The PFC unit has a rectifier function and can rectify the input AC into DC. The rectifier function includes a set of switches, namely four MOSFETs (two for each phase of the AC input). The PFC unit is connected to a secondary interface switch, as described in detail below.

[0162] Suitably, the 85 kHz AC wireless interface complies with appropriate industry standards such as IEC 61851, SAE J1772, GB / T (20234 / 18487 / 27930), ISO 15118, SAE J2954, IEC 61980 or similar standards.

[0163] The DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface is configured to receive a DC input, such as a DC input from a plug-in DC charger or a DC input from a rectifier elsewhere in the electric vehicle that is connected to the vehicle's on-board charging plate and is adapted to convert an 85 kHz AC input into DC (which is provided to the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface of the OBC). The DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface is connected to the secondary interface switch.

[0164] Suitably, the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface complies with appropriate industry standards such as ISO 15118, DIN70121, CHAdeMO, CCS or similar standards.

[0165] The secondary interface switch is shown as a double-pole double-throw (DPDT) relay in Figure 4 which is configured such that at any given time, only one of the 85 kHz AC wireless interface and the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface can be electrically connected to the downstream components of the OBC. Thus, the secondary interface switch can be used to switch the OBC between the high-frequency AC mode and the DC mode.

[0166] Downstream, the secondary interface switch is connected to another filtering unit, namely the RC / LCL filtering unit. This filtering unit helps to filter out higher-order harmonics and spurious frequencies that still exist after the PFC unit rectifies the high-frequency AC input. It can be understood that this is not a problem for the DC input of the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface, so if the secondary interface switch is configured such that the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface is active instead of the 85 kHz AC wireless interface, the DC provided to the filtering unit will pass through the filtering unit unchanged. Downstream of the filtering means is the connection interface switch.

[0167] The interface switch is shown as a double-pole double-throw (DPDT) relay in Figure 4 which is configured such that at any given time, only one of (i) the upstream circuit related to the plug-in interface, and (ii) the upstream circuits related to the 85 kHz AC wireless interface and the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface can be connected to the downstream components of the OBC. Thus, the interface switch can be used to switch the OBC between (i) the low-frequency AC mode and (ii) the high-frequency AC mode or the DC mode.

[0168] Downstream, the interface switch is connected to the DC link, acting as an intermediate buffer element between the input source and the output load, with the advantage that the input source and the load may have different instantaneous powers, voltages, and / or frequencies. The DC link takes the form of a capacitor and can act as a mediator between the AC-DC converter and the DC-DC converter of the plug-in interface or between the PFC units of the 85 kHz AC wireless interface or the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface, depending on the positions of the interface switch and the secondary interface switch.

[0169] The PFC stage of the OBC can be described as a bidirectional totem-pole converter with a full-bridge structure.

[0170] Downstream, the interface switch is connected to a bidirectional isolated DC-DC converter (i.e., a bidirectional CLLLC resonant converter), which converts the DC voltage supplied to it by the DC link into the voltage required by the electric vehicle's battery. As Figure 4 shown, the converter is isolated by a transformer, with four MOSFET switches on each side of the transformer. Then, the OBC outputs the converted DC at the required voltage to charge the battery.

[0171] The above circuit of the OBC is described based on the charging of the electric vehicle's battery. However, the OBC is bidirectional and can thus be used in electric vehicles to discharge the power of the battery to the grid or other loads when needed. Therefore, it can be understood that all connections between the above OBC electrical components are bidirectional. Importantly, the PFC unit has an inverter function in addition to its rectifier function. This enables the PFC unit to operate bidirectionally, thereby converting the input DC power into an output AC with an appropriate frequency.

[0172] It can be understood that in such a bidirectional OBC, the three interfaces can be used as inputs and / or outputs respectively according to the direction of current flow at any given time. Similarly, when the current flows in the other direction to supply the grid or another load (i.e., during discharging), the DC output from the bidirectional isolated DC-DC converter during battery charging can be changed to the DC input of the bidirectional isolated DC-DC converter.

[0173] Embodiment 8 - Switching the OBC of Embodiment 7 between Different Modes

[0174] As can be understood from the above Embodiment 7, due to the presence of the interface switch and the secondary interface switch, at any given time, only one of the plug-in interface, the 85 kHz AC wireless interface, and the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface can be electrically connected to the output of the OBC (here, the "output" refers to the DC output of the bi-directional isolated DC-DC converter during charging), and thus be electrically connected to the BMS. Therefore, by appropriately controlling the positions of these two switches, it is possible to control which one of these three interfaces the OBC selects to connect to the battery at a specific time. It can be understood that in Figure 4 the plug-in interface is currently selected, so the OBC shown is in the low-frequency AC mode.

[0175] The OBC in Embodiment 7 has a low-frequency AC mode, that is, the plug-in interface is selected (as Figure 4 shown). The OBC also has a high-frequency AC mode (selecting the 85 kHz AC wireless interface) and a DC mode (selecting the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface). By appropriately positioning the interface switch and the secondary interface switch, one of these three modes can be selected instead of the other two.

[0176] When a plug-in charger is connected to the OBC, the low-frequency AC mode will be selected, allowing the plug-in charger to supply power to the plug-in interface at a frequency of 50 Hz or 60 Hz. Depending on the positioning of the interface switch and the secondary interface switch, as described in Embodiment 7, the OBC will process the 50 Hz or 60 Hz AC input to output DC with an appropriate voltage to charge the battery.

[0177] Similarly, when an electric vehicle is charged wirelessly and the on-vehicle charging board of the electric vehicle can receive power, the high-frequency AC mode or the DC mode can be selected. Whether to select the high-frequency AC mode or the DC mode depends on whether the OBC is installed as part of a new electric vehicle or retrofitted as part of an old electric vehicle, and the rectifier component of the old electric vehicle is independent of the OBC. For the former, the DC (post-rectifier) wireless interface is unlikely to be used, so the high-frequency AC mode will be selected. For the latter, both the high-frequency AC mode and the DC mode may be applicable, so either of these two modes can be selected; in this case, which one of these modes to select will depend on the specific application of the OBC and the choice of the electric vehicle user, operator, or manufacturer.

[0178] The interface switch and the secondary interface switch can be controlled in various ways, including manual input by the electric vehicle user / operator and the control system of the present invention (such as the OBC controller). Similarly, the control method for switching the OBC between the three applicable modes will be determined at the discretion of the electric vehicle user, operator, or manufacturer.

[0179] Embodiment 9 - On-Board Charger (OBC)

[0180] See Figure 5 , the OBC of the present invention has three interfaces, namely a low-frequency alternating current (AC) interface (plug-in interface), a high-frequency alternating current (AC) interface (HF AC interface), and a direct current (DC) interface (DC input interface).

[0181] For this embodiment, the electrical "upstream" part of the OBC circuit refers to the OBC electrical components connected near the input end, that is, the plug-in charger and / or the on-vehicle charging board, while the electrical "downstream" part of the OBC circuit refers to the OBC electrical components connected near the output end, that is, the battery management system (BMS). Therefore, if a component is referred to as the electrical "upstream" of another component, then this component is closer to the connection input end than the other component. Conversely, if a component is referred to as the electrical "downstream" of another component, then this component is closer to the connection output end than the other component.

[0182] The plug-in interface is configured to receive a single-phase or three-phase AC input with a frequency of about 50 Hz or 60 Hz from a plug-in charger during plug-in charging. Then, this interface transmits the low-frequency AC input to a filtering unit, which can eliminate (or at least suppress) the error harmonics in the input AC, and then transmits the input AC to a power factor correction (PFC) unit. The PFC unit has a rectifier function and can rectify the input AC into DC. The rectifier function includes a set of switches (MOSFET). The interface switch is connected downstream of the PFC unit, as described in detail below.

[0183] Preferably, the plug-in interface complies with appropriate industry standards, such as IEC 61851, SAE J1772, GB, or similar standards.

[0184] The HF AC interface is configured to receive an AC input with a frequency of about 85 kHz from the on-vehicle charging board of an electric vehicle during wireless charging. The HF AC interface is connected to a secondary interface switch, as described in detail below.

[0185] Preferably, the HF AC interface complies with appropriate industry standards, such as IEC 61851, SAE J1772, GB / T (20234 / 18487 / 27930), ISO 15118, SAE J2954, IEC 61980, or similar standards.

[0186] The DC input interface is configured to receive a DC input, such as a DC input from a plug-in DC charger, or a DC input from a rectifier elsewhere in the electric vehicle, which is connected to the on-vehicle charging board of the vehicle and is adapted to convert the 85 kHz AC input into DC (provided to the DC input interface of the OBC). The DC input interface is connected to a secondary interface switch.

[0187] Suitably, the DC input interface complies with appropriate industry standards, such as ISO 5118, DIN 70121, CHAdeMO, CCS or similar standards.

[0188] The secondary interface switch is configured such that only one of the HF AC interface and the DC input interface can be electrically connected to the downstream components of the OBC at any given time. Therefore, the secondary interface switch can be used to switch the OBC between HF AC mode and DC mode.

[0189] Downstream, the secondary interface switch is connected to a filtering unit. This filtering unit helps to filter out higher-order harmonics and incorrect frequencies in the HF AC input from the HF AC interface. It can be understood that this is not a problem for the DC input of the DC input interface. Therefore, if the secondary interface switch is configured such that the DC input interface is active instead of the HF AC interface, the DC supplied to the filtering unit will pass through the filtering unit unchanged. Downstream of the filtering unit is connected a PFC unit. The PFC unit has a rectifier function and can rectify the input AC into DC.

[0190] The PFC stage of this OBC can be described as a bidirectional totem-pole converter with a full-bridge structure.

[0191] Downstream, the PFC unit is connected to another filtering unit. This filtering unit helps to filter out higher-order harmonics and incorrect frequencies that still exist after the PFC unit rectifies the high-frequency AC input. It can be understood that this is not a problem for the DC input of the DC input interface. Therefore, if the secondary interface switch is configured such that the DC input interface is active instead of the HF AC interface being active, the DC supplied to the filtering unit will pass through the filtering unit unchanged. Downstream of the filtering unit is connected an interface switch.

[0192] The interface switch is configured such that at any given time, only one of (i) the upstream circuit related to the plug-in interface, and (ii) the upstream circuits related to the HF AC interface and the DC input interface can be connected to the downstream components of the OBC. Therefore, the interface switch can be used to switch the OBC between (i) low-frequency AC mode and (ii) high-frequency AC mode or DC mode.

[0193] Downstream, the interface switch is connected to a bidirectional DC-DC converter, which converts the DC voltage provided by the interface switch into the voltage required by the electric vehicle's battery. The DC-DC converter is fully isolated, and the switches (MOSFET / IGBT) on both sides form a full bridge. Then, the OBC outputs the converted DC at the required voltage to charge the battery.

[0194] The above OBC circuit is described in terms of charging an electric vehicle battery. However, the OBC is bidirectional and can thus be used in an electric vehicle to discharge the battery's power to the grid or other loads when needed. Therefore, it can be understood that all connections between the above OBC electrical components are bidirectional (hence Figure 5 double arrows are used in to represent these connections). Importantly, the PFC unit has an inverter function in addition to its rectifier function. This enables the PFC unit to operate bidirectionally, converting the input DC into an output AC with an appropriate frequency.

[0195] It can be understood that in such a bidirectional OBC, the three interfaces can be used as inputs and / or outputs respectively according to the current flow direction at any given time. Similarly, when the current flows in the other direction to supply the grid or another load (i.e., during discharging), the DC output from the bidirectional isolated DC-DC converter during battery charging can be changed to the DC input of the bidirectional isolated DC-DC converter.

[0196] Embodiment 10 - Switching the OBC of Embodiment 9 between Different Modes

[0197] It can be understood from the above Embodiment 9 that due to the presence of the interface switch and the secondary interface switch, at any given time, only one of the plug-in interface, HF AC interface, and DC input interface can be electrically connected to the output of the OBC (here, the "output" refers to the DC output of the bidirectional DC-DC converter during charging), and thus be electrically connected to the BMS. Therefore, by appropriately controlling the positions of these two switches, it is possible to control which of these three interfaces the OBC selects to connect to the battery at a specific time. It can be understood that in Figure 5 , the DC input interface is currently selected, so the OBC shown is in the DC mode.

[0198] The OBC in Embodiment 9 has a low-frequency AC mode, i.e., the plug-in interface is selected. The OBC also has a high-frequency AC mode (selecting the HF AC interface) and a DC mode (selecting the DC input interface) (as Figure 5 shown). By appropriately positioning the interface switch and the secondary interface switch, one of these three modes can be selected instead of the other two.

[0199] When a plug-in charger is connected to the OBC, the low-frequency AC mode will be selected, allowing the plug-in charger to supply power to the plug-in interface at a frequency of 50 Hz or 60 Hz. According to the positioning of the interface switch and the secondary interface switch, as described in Embodiment 9, the OBC will process the 50 Hz or 60 Hz AC input to output DC with an appropriate voltage to charge the battery.

[0200] Similarly, when an electric vehicle is wirelessly charged and the on-vehicle charging board of the electric vehicle can receive power, the high-frequency AC mode or the DC mode can be selected. The selection of the high-frequency AC mode or the DC mode depends on whether the OBC is installed as part of a new electric vehicle or retrofitted as part of an old electric vehicle, and the rectifier component of the old electric vehicle is independent of the OBC. For the former, the DC input interface is unlikely to be used, so the high-frequency AC mode will be selected. For the latter, both the high-frequency AC mode and the DC mode may be applicable, so these two modes can be selected; in this case, which of these modes to choose will depend on the specific application of the OBC and the choice of the electric vehicle user, operator or manufacturer.

[0201] The interface switch and the secondary interface switch can be controlled in various ways, including the manual input of the electric vehicle user / operator and the control system of the present invention (such as the OBC controller). Similarly, the control method for switching the OBC between the three applicable modes will be determined by the electric vehicle user, operator or manufacturer at their discretion.

[0202] Embodiment 11 - OBC Control Network

[0203] See Figure 6 and Figure 7 , the control network of the on-vehicle charger in Embodiment 1 includes a plurality of controllers 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13. Figure 6 and Figure 7 The communication (i.e., information exchange) and control of certain controllers over certain components of the OBC are indicated by thick dashed lines in

[0204] The control network includes two sub-networks. One sub-network includes five controllers 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, while the other sub-network includes an interface controller 13 and a plurality of adjustment input terminals 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, which provide information to the interface controller 13.

[0205] The first sub-network includes a PFC controller 8 for controlling the PFC unit 5a associated with the low-frequency AC interface 1 and a DC-DC controller 9 for controlling the DC-DC converter 7. These two controllers are configured to communicate with each other to ensure effective control of the OBC.

[0206] The first sub-network further includes a PFC controller 10 for controlling the PFC unit 5b associated with the high-frequency AC interface 2. The PFC controller 10 and the DC-DC controller 9 are configured to communicate with each other.

[0207] The first sub-network also includes a charging point charging control circuit 11 (also referred to as a charging pilot charging control circuit 11) and a vehicle control unit 12, both of which are configured to communicate with the PFC controller 8. In this embodiment, the vehicle control unit 12 is part of the OBC; however, in other embodiments, the vehicle control unit 12 may also be independent of the OBC.

[0208] The second sub-network includes an interface controller 13 for controlling the high-frequency AC interface 2 and the DC interface 3. The interface controller 13 is configured to communicate with a plurality of regulation input terminals, which will be described in detail below with reference to Figure 7 for a detailed description.

[0209] The interface controller 13 is configured to communicate with an extended controller area network (CAN) bus 14. The extended CAN bus 14 receives information from non-OBC components of the electric vehicle and provides this information to the interface controller 13.

[0210] In addition, the interface controller 13 is also configured to communicate with an OBC controller area network (CAN) bus 15. The OBC CAN bus 15 receives information from each component of the OBC and provides this information to the interface controller 13.

[0211] In addition, the interface controller 13 is also configured to communicate with a general-purpose input / output device 16. The device 16 receives information from devices that are not part of the electric vehicle, such as devices that are part of a central component of a wireless electric vehicle charging system, and provides this information to the interface controller 13.

[0212] The communication paths between the interface controller 13 and each of the extended CAN bus 14, the OBC CAN bus 15, and the general-purpose input / output device 16 are bidirectional, which means that the interface controller 13 is capable of providing information about the OBC to these buses 14, 15, and the device 16. Therefore, the communication between these regulation input terminals 14, 15, and 16 and the interface controller 13 is represented by double-headed arrows in Figure 7 as shown.

[0213] In addition, the interface controller 13 is also configured to communicate with a high-voltage interlock loop 17. The high-voltage interlock loop 17 receives voltage information related to the electric vehicle's circuit and provides this information to the interface controller 13. Specifically, the high-voltage interlock loop 17 provides safety risk information related to excessive voltage to the interface controller 13.

[0214] In addition, the interface controller 13 is further configured to communicate with an overcurrent, overvoltage, and overheat protection device 18. The device 18 receives current, voltage, and temperature information related to the circuit of the OBC and provides this information to the interface controller 13. Specifically, the device 18 provides the interface controller 13 with safety risk information related to excessive current, voltage, and temperature.

[0215] In addition, the interface controller 13 is further configured to communicate with a system basis chip 19. The chip 19 receives inputs from an automotive electronic control unit ( Figure 6 and Figure 7 not shown herein) and provides information to the interface controller 13, thereby facilitating the automotive electronic control unit to provide inputs to the interface controller 13.

[0216] The communication paths between the interface controller 13 and each of the high-voltage interlock loop 17, the overcurrent, overvoltage, and overheat protection device 18, and the system basis chip 19 are unidirectional, which means that the interface controller 13 cannot provide information about the OBC to these three components. Therefore, these components provide inputs to the interface controller 13 but do not receive any inputs from the interface controller 13. Thus, the communication between these regulating input terminals 17, 18, and 19 and the interface controller 13 is Figure 7 represented by single arrows in the figure.

[0217] The interface controller 13 is configured to integrate all these inputs. According to the integration result, the interface controller 13 communicates with the high-frequency AC interface 2 and / or the DC interface 3 (as appropriate), that is, sends signals to it, thereby controlling each of these two interfaces.

[0218] Therefore, the present invention relates to a method, device, and system for charging an electric vehicle using an on-vehicle charger (OBC) of a vehicle through inductive wireless power transfer (WPT) or the like. It can support multiple grounded component (GA) / vehicle component (VA) charging nodes. It can provide bidirectional power transfer and / or comply with interoperable EV charging standards. The specific system described herein relates to electric vehicle charging in static systems (such as parking lots) and / or dynamic systems (such as taxi stands). The system can use or not use a capacitive cable (commonly also referred to as a "CTS cable") as a (power distribution network) means for transmitting power between a central component (CA) (such as a power source like the power grid and a converter that receives power from the power source) and a grounded component (GA) (such as one or more grounded charging plates that are connected to the converter and powered by the converter). In addition, the system can use or not use a CTS connection in the wires of the inductance coil that forms part of the grounded charging plate of the grounded component (GA), and can also use or not use a CTS connection in the inductance coil that forms part of the on-vehicle charging plate within the vehicle component (VA).

Claims

1. An on-board charger (OBC) for an electric vehicle, wherein the on-board charger is configured to receive: (a) Low-frequency input alternating current; (b) High-frequency input alternating current; and (c) Input direct current.

2. The OBC according to claim 1, wherein the OBC is configured to output direct current for charging the battery of the electric vehicle.

3. The OBC according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the on-board charger is switchable between one or more modes.

4. The OBC according to claim 3, wherein the one or more modes are: (i) Low-frequency alternating current mode, wherein the OBC is configured to receive the low-frequency input alternating current; (ii) High-frequency alternating current mode, wherein the OBC is configured to receive the high-frequency input alternating current; And (iii) Direct current mode, wherein the OBC is configured to receive the input direct current.

5. The OBC according to claim 4, wherein when in the low-frequency alternating current mode, the OBC is configured to receive the low-frequency input alternating current from a plug-in charger.

6. The OBC according to claim 4 or 5, wherein when in the high-frequency alternating current mode, the OBC is configured to receive the high-frequency input alternating current from the on-board charging pad of the electric vehicle.

7. The OBC according to any one of claims 4-6, wherein when in the direct current mode, the OBC is configured to receive the input direct current from a plug-in DC charger or a rectifier.

8. The OBC according to claim 7, wherein the rectifier is configured to receive input from or be integrated with the on-board charging pad of the electric vehicle.

9. The OBC according to any one of claims 3-8, wherein the OBC includes one or more switches for switching the OBC between the one or more modes.

10. The OBC according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein the OBC is switchable between a plug-in charging mode and a wireless charging mode.

11. The OBC according to claim 10, wherein: (i) The low-frequency alternating current mode is for plug-in charging; (ii) The high-frequency alternating current mode is for wireless charging; and (iii) The direct current mode is for plug-in charging or wireless charging.

12. The OBC according to any one of claims 1-11, wherein the OBC is further configured to output: (a) Low-frequency alternating current; (b) High-frequency alternating current; and / or (c) Direct current.

13. The OBC according to any one of claims 1-12, wherein the frequency of the low frequency is about 50 Hz - 60 Hz.

14. The OBC according to any one of claims 1-13, wherein the frequency of the high frequency is about 70 kHz - 95 kHz.

15. The OBC according to claim 14, wherein the frequency of the high frequency is 80 kHz - 85 kHz.

16. The OBC according to claim 15, wherein the frequency of the high frequency is about 85 kHz.

17. The OBC according to any one of claims 1-16, wherein the OBC is bidirectional.

18. The OBC according to any one of claims 1-17, wherein the OBC includes a control network for controlling one or more interfaces of the OBC.

19. The OBC according to claim 18, wherein the control network includes one or more sub-networks.

20. The OBC according to claim 19, wherein the control network includes a sub-network for controlling the interfaces of the OBC related to the high-frequency alternating current mode and for controlling the interfaces of the OBC related to the direct current mode.

21. An electric (engine) vehicle EV, comprising the OBC according to any one of claims 1-20, wherein the vehicle is optionally capable of releasing power (or electrical energy) from the battery (or BMS) to the outside.

22. The EV according to claim 21, the EV being adapted to provide or release (spare or unwanted) charge (or power or electrical energy) outside the vehicle (such as to the power grid, a power source or a dwelling).

23. The EV according to claim 21 or 22, the EV including a bidirectional connection between the OBC and the battery or BMS.

24. The EV according to any one of claims 21-23, wherein the OBC includes or is connected to a rectifier (or rectifier component).

25. A system for charging and / or discharging an electric engine vehicle (EV), comprising a power source for charging the battery (or battery management system, BMS), wherein the EV includes the OBC according to any one of claims 1-20 and is capable of discharging from its battery to the outside (such as to the power grid, a power source or a residence).

26. The system according to claim 25, further comprising a power source for charging / supplying power to the EV and accepting charging / supplying power from the EV (from the battery thereof).

27. The system according to claim 25 or 26, the system including the EV according to any one of claims 21-24 or being applicable to the EV according to any one of claims 21-24.

28. A method for enabling an electric vehicle (EV) to output AC to the outside (such as initially output from a DC battery), the method comprising equipping the EV with the OBC according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

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