Vehicle and vehicle control method

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of vehicles, in particular to a vehicle and a vehicle control method. The vehicle comprises an AC-DC (alternating current-direct current) module; a load connection end; the current distribution module is connected between the AC-DC module and the load connecting end; the charging interface is connected to the current distribution module; the current distribution module is configured to selectively distribute current from the charging interface to the load connection. The scheme of the invention is suitable for various different scenes of the vehicle, provides a convenient way for obtaining the current to charge the load or the battery of the user, and meets the cost efficiency at the same time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of vehicles, and in particular to a vehicle and a vehicle control method. Background Art

[0002] While providing users with a convenient means of transportation, vehicles also offer convenience in terms of electricity consumption. For example, users can use their vehicles to charge their devices, including but not limited to portable devices and small appliances. Typically, users can obtain charging current from, for example, the vehicle's charging port or outlets located in the vehicle's passenger compartment or trunk, meeting their power needs in various vehicle scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application summarizes various aspects of the embodiments and should not be used to limit the claims. Other embodiments are conceivable based on the technology described herein, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art after studying the following drawings and detailed description, and these embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of this application.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a vehicle is provided, comprising: an AC-DC module; a load connection terminal; a current distribution module connected between the AC-DC module and the load connection terminal; and a charging interface, the charging interface being connected to the current distribution module; the current distribution module being configured to selectively distribute current from the charging interface to the load connection terminal.

[0005] In an embodiment of the present invention, the current distribution module is configured to selectively distribute the current from the charging interface to the AC-DC module.

[0006] In an embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle further comprises a battery module connected to the AC-DC module, and the AC-DC module is configured to provide the converted current to the battery module.

[0007] In an embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle further includes a battery module, the charging interface is connected to the battery module, and the charging interface is configured to supply power to the battery module.

[0008] In an embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle further includes a battery module, the current distribution module is connected to the battery module, and the current distribution module is configured to selectively distribute the current from the charging interface to the battery module.

[0009] In an embodiment of the present invention, the current distribution module includes a microcontroller and a current correction module electrically connected to the microcontroller, the microcontroller is configured to correct the current parameter signal from the charging interface based on the first request signal of the load connection end, and the current correction module is configured to distribute the current flowing to the AC-DC module based on the corrected current parameter signal.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present invention, the microcontroller is configured to: based on the corrected current parameter signal, make the current flowing to the AC-DC module smaller than the current flowing out of the charging interface.

[0011] In an embodiment of the present invention, the current distribution module is configured to: allocate a priority of current flow to the load connection terminal and the battery module based on a comparison of the power level of the battery module and a preset threshold value, and adjust the current flowing to the battery module and the load connection terminal based on the priority in response to a first request signal from the load connection terminal and a second request signal from the battery module.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a vehicle is provided, comprising: an AC-DC module; a load connection terminal; and a current distribution module; the current distribution module being connected between the AC-DC module and the load connection terminal and being configured to selectively distribute the current converted by the AC-DC module to the load connection terminal.

[0013] In an embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle further includes a battery module, and the AC-DC module is connected to the battery module and converts direct current from the battery module into alternating current.

[0014] In an embodiment of the present invention, the current distribution module includes a microcontroller, a switch and a current detection circuit. The switch and the current detection module are connected to the load connection end in sequence. The microcontroller is configured to control the conduction or disconnection of the corresponding switch based on the current signal of the corresponding load connection end detected by the current detection circuit.

[0015] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes an AC-DC module, a load connection terminal, a current distribution module connected between the AC-DC module and the load connection terminal, and a charging interface connected to the current distribution module. The control method includes controlling the current distribution module to selectively distribute current from the charging interface to the load connection terminal.

[0016] In an embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle further includes a battery module connected to the AC-DC module, and the control method further includes: in response to a charging request from the battery module, controlling the current distribution module to selectively distribute the current from the charging interface to the AC-DC module, so that the current flows to the battery module after conversion by the AC-DC module.

[0017] In an embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle further includes a battery module connected to the charging interface; the control method further includes: in response to a charging request of the battery module, controlling the current of the charging interface to flow to the battery module.

[0018] In an embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle further comprises a battery module, which is connected to the current distribution module; the control method further comprises: in response to a charging request of the battery module, controlling the current distribution module to selectively distribute the current from the charging interface to the battery module.

[0019] In an embodiment of the present invention, the current distribution module includes a current correction module located between the charging interface and the AC-DC module, and the control method further includes: correcting a current parameter signal from the charging interface based on a first request signal from the load connection terminal; and controlling the current correction module to distribute current to the AC-DC module in response to the corrected current parameter signal.

[0020] In an embodiment of the present invention, the control method of the present invention includes: based on the corrected current parameter signal, controlling the current flowing to the AC-DC module to be smaller than the current flowing out of the charging port.

[0021] In an embodiment of the present invention, the control method described in the present invention includes: allocating a priority of current flow to the load connection terminal and the battery module based on a comparison between the power level of the battery module and a preset threshold value; and adjusting the current flowing to the battery module and the load connection terminal based on the priority in response to a first request signal from the load connection terminal and a second request signal from the battery module.

[0022] In an embodiment of the present invention, the charging interface is connected to an external AC charging device; the control method includes: controlling the current distribution module to selectively distribute the AC power from the charging interface to the load connection terminal.

[0023] In an embodiment of the present invention, the control method described in the present invention includes: responding to a request signal from the battery module, controlling the current distribution module to selectively distribute the alternating current from the charging interface to the AC-DC module, which is converted into direct current by the AC-DC module and then flows to the battery module.

[0024] Those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate these and other aspects, objects, and features of the present disclosure after studying the following description, claims, and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] For a more complete understanding of the embodiments of the present application, reference should be made to the embodiments illustrated in more detail in the accompanying drawings and described below by way of example, in which:

[0026] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2a Shown Figure 1 A schematic block diagram of the vehicle shown;

[0028] Figure 2b Shown Figure 2a Another schematic block diagram of the vehicle shown;

[0029] Figure 2c Shown Figure 2a The schematic diagram of current flow of the vehicle in the charging scenario shown;

[0030] Figure 2d Shown Figure 2a A schematic diagram of current flow in another charging scenario of the vehicle shown;

[0031] Figure 2e Shown Figure 2a The schematic diagram of the current flow of the vehicle in the discharge scenario is shown;

[0032] Figure 3a shows a schematic block diagram of a vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 3b Shown Figure 3a The schematic diagram of current flow of the vehicle in the charging scenario shown;

[0034] Figure 4a shows a schematic block diagram of a vehicle according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 4b Shown Figure 4a The schematic diagram of current flow of the vehicle in the charging scenario shown;

[0036] Figure 4c Shown Figure 4a The schematic diagram of current flow of the vehicle shown in another charging scenario;

[0037] Figure 5A flowchart of a method for controlling a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0038] Figure 6 A method flow chart showing a method for controlling a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

[0039] Figure 7 A flow chart showing a method for controlling a vehicle according to yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] The following describes embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples, and other embodiments may take various alternative forms. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale; certain features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to use the present application in various ways. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the various features shown and described with reference to any one of the figures may be combined with features shown in one or more other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly shown or described. The combination of features shown provides representative embodiments for typical applications. However, various combinations and modifications of features consistent with the teachings of the present disclosure may be desirable for certain specific applications or implementations.

[0041] Furthermore, in this document, relational terms such as first and second, etc., are used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another and do not necessarily require or imply any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also may include elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0042] One or more embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The flowcharts illustrate the processes performed by the system according to the present application. It is understood that the execution of the flowcharts does not need to be carried out in order, and one or more steps may be omitted, one or more steps may be added, and the steps may be performed in a sequential or reverse order, and in some embodiments, one or more steps may even be performed simultaneously.

[0043] The vehicles involved in the following embodiments may be hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), full hybrid electric vehicles (FHEVs), fuel cell vehicles, etc., and may also be buses, ships, or aircraft. A vehicle includes components related to mobility, such as an engine, an electric motor, a transmission, a suspension, a drive shaft, and / or wheels. A vehicle may be non-autonomous, semi-autonomous (e.g., some conventional motion functions are controlled by the vehicle), or autonomous (e.g., motion functions are controlled by the vehicle without direct input from the driver).

[0044] As mentioned in the background technology, users (e.g., vehicle drivers, passengers, or persons associated with the vehicle) can obtain current for charging their devices through, for example, the vehicle charging interface and sockets provided in the vehicle, thereby meeting the user's power needs in different vehicle scenarios. One or more solutions of the present application are applicable to various different vehicle scenarios, providing users with a convenient way to obtain current to charge their loads or batteries while meeting cost-effectiveness.

[0045] According to a first aspect of the present application, a vehicle 100 is provided. Figure 1 and Figure 2a As shown, the vehicle 100 includes: an AC-DC module 110; a load connection terminal 150; a current distribution module 130 connected between the AC-DC module 110 and the load connection terminal 150; and a charging interface 152, the charging interface 152 being connected to the current distribution module 130; the current distribution module 130 is configured to selectively distribute current from the charging interface 152 to the load connection terminal 150.

[0046] In some embodiments, the AC-DC module 110 can be integrated with the electrical system of the vehicle 100 (not shown) and installed inside the vehicle 100. In one embodiment, the AC-DC module 110 can be unidirectional, enabling one-way conversion between AC and DC. For example, the AC-DC module 110 can convert AC power from an external AC charging device (such as a household AC outlet or a public AC charging station) into DC power suitable for charging the vehicle's battery module (e.g., battery module 170 described elsewhere in this application). Alternatively, the AC-DC module 110 can convert DC power from the vehicle's battery module into AC power to power the vehicle's interior and / or exterior, thereby enabling vehicle-to-everything (V2X) applications (e.g., vehicle-to-load (V2L), vehicle-to-home (V2H), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), and vehicle-to-grid (V2G)). In another embodiment, the AC-DC module 110 can be bidirectional, enabling bidirectional conversion between AC and DC, and DC and AC. In one embodiment, the AC-DC module 110 may include an onboard charger (OBC), which converts the vehicle's current using the vehicle's existing onboard charger without requiring an additional conversion module, thereby improving cost efficiency. In another embodiment, the AC-DC module 110 may include other modules capable of achieving AC-DC conversion, such as an inverter. The present application can achieve AC-DC conversion based on the AC-DC module 110 to meet the diverse power needs of users.

[0047] In some embodiments, the charging interface 152 is a physical interface for the vehicle 100 to connect to an external charging device for charging. Depending on the region and standard, the charging interface may mainly include charging interfaces of the Chinese national standard, European and North American standards, etc. Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the charging port 152 is located near the rear of the vehicle, but it should be understood that the charging port 152 may be located at other locations in the vehicle depending on the vehicle model.

[0048] In some embodiments, as Figure 1 As shown, vehicle 100 may include a controller 105 that can be communicatively connected to various components of vehicle 100 and can be configured to perform method steps related to the present application, as described elsewhere in this application. In some embodiments, controller 105 may be a vehicle computing system (VCS). As those skilled in the art will appreciate, a VCS may include a processor, memory, a positioning device, a communication device, a human-machine interface (HMI), etc., and may be capable of controlling various components of the vehicle.

[0049] In different scenarios such as when the vehicle 100 is driving or parked, a user may need to charge their loads and / or the vehicle's battery module (e.g., the battery module 170 described elsewhere in this application) with AC and / or DC power. The loads may include, but are not limited to, portable devices (e.g., mobile phones, laptops, etc.), household appliances, power tools, outdoor camping equipment, a home power grid, another vehicle, the power grid, etc. The vehicle 100 of the present invention can provide the user with the AC and / or DC power required to charge their loads and / or the vehicle's battery module, thereby meeting the user's power needs in different vehicle scenarios, as described elsewhere in this application.

[0050] refer to Figure 2a-2e ,in Figure 2a and Figure 2b 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a vehicle 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2c and Figure 2d Schematic diagrams showing the current flow of the vehicle 100 in AC charging scenario and DC charging scenario respectively. Figure 2e FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the current flow of the vehicle 100 described in this application in a discharge scenario. Figure 2a As shown, in addition to the AC-DC module 110, the current distribution module 130, the load connection terminal 150 and the charging interface 152, the vehicle 100 may also include a battery module 170 connected to the AC-DC module 110, wherein the AC-DC module 110 can be a unidirectional on-board charger, which can perform AC to DC conversion according to different scenarios.

[0051] The load connection terminal 150 may be a physical port that can be connected to a load, through which current can be transmitted to the load, thereby powering the load. The load connection terminal 150 may include at least one socket 151 provided in the vehicle 100. The socket 151 may be provided in the vehicle 100, for example, in the center console, door, dashboard, or other location convenient for user use. The socket 151 may provide power to the load inside the vehicle 100. The socket 151 may include an AC socket and a DC socket. For example, at least one AC socket and / or at least one DC socket may be provided in the vehicle 100 to meet the charging requirements of different loads of the user. The load connection terminal 150 may include an AC load connection terminal 155 and a DC load connection terminal 156, wherein the AC load connection terminal 155 may include at least one AC socket, and the DC load connection terminal 156 may include at least one DC socket, as described in other parts of this application.

[0052] The current distribution module 130 is mainly used to intelligently manage and effectively distribute the power supply of at least one of the load connection terminal 150 and the battery module 170. Figure 2b, which mainly shows a schematic block diagram of the current distribution module 130, Figure 2b In the figure, the thin line L1 represents the signal path, and the thick line L2 represents the current path. Figure 2b As shown, the current distribution module 130 may include a microcontroller 131, a switch 132 and a current detection circuit 133 connected to each other and to the microcontroller 131. The current detection circuit 133 is further connected to the load connection terminal 150 and the AC-DC module 110. The microcontroller 131 is configured to control the conduction or disconnection of the corresponding switch 132 based on the current signal of the corresponding load connection terminal 150 and / or AC-DC module 110 detected by the current detection circuit 133. The microcontroller 131 may be connected to the controller 105 and may receive signals or instructions from the controller 105 or send signals and instructions to the controller 105. Both the microcontroller 131 and the controller 105 may perform one or more of the steps of the method described herein, as described elsewhere in this application. The load connection terminal 150 may include multiple sockets 151, and the switch 132 may be a multi-way switch, one of which may correspond to the AC-DC module 110, and each of the other multiple ways may correspond to at least one socket 151. When current detection circuit 133 detects an abnormality in any one or more sockets 151, it can promptly disconnect the corresponding circuit of the abnormal socket 151 without affecting other circuits. Furthermore, if adjustments are needed to the current distribution to the sockets 151 and / or AC-DC module 110, one or more switches 132 can be controlled to be on or off to distribute current to one or more sockets 151 and the AC-DC module 110. Because current distribution module 130 does not include current conversion components such as an inverter, cost efficiency is improved.

[0053] Reference again Figure 2b The current distribution module 130 further includes a current correction module 134 electrically connected to the microcontroller 131, and the current correction module 134 is further connected to the charging interface 152 and the AC-DC module 110. For example, the current correction module 134 is connected to the charging interface 152 and the AC-DC module 110. Figure 2bThe signal path indicated by the thin line L1 in FIG1 receives and sends signals to and from the charging interface 152 and the AC-DC module 110, respectively. The microcontroller 131 can be configured to modify the current parameter signal from the charging interface 152 based on a first request signal from the load connection terminal 150, and the current modification module 134 can be configured to distribute the current flowing to the AC-DC module 110 based on the modified current parameter signal. The first request signal can be a request signal from the load connection terminal 150 related to power demand or a charging request. In response to receiving a second request signal from the battery module 170 indicating a charging request, the microcontroller 131 can begin preparing to modify the current parameter signal. Furthermore, the microcontroller 131 can modify the current parameter signal based on at least the power demand from the load connection terminal 150 and transmit the modified current parameter signal to the current modification module 134. The current modification module 134 then distributes the current flowing to the AC-DC module 110 based on the modified current parameter signal. For example, in response to receiving a second request signal from battery module 170, current correction module 134 collects a current parameter signal related to the total current from charging interface 152, converts the current parameter signal into a signal recognizable and processable by microcontroller 131 (hereinafter referred to as a first recognizable signal), and transmits the signal to microcontroller 131. Upon receiving the first recognizable signal, microcontroller 131 receives a first request signal related to power demand from load connection terminal 150 via current detection circuit 133, and based on the first request signal and the first recognizable signal, corrects the current parameter signal from charging interface 152, for example, generating a current correction signal (e.g., a pilot signal), and transmits the current correction signal to current correction module 134. Current correction module 134 converts the current correction signal into a current correction signal recognizable by AC-DC module 110 (hereinafter referred to as a second recognizable signal), which flows to AC-DC module 110. The microcontroller 131 can monitor the total current from the charging interface 152, the first request signal from the load connection terminal 150, and the second request signal from the battery module 170 in real time or at predetermined time intervals, and correct the current flowing to the AC-DC module 110 through the current correction module 134 according to the monitoring situation.

[0054] The microcontroller 131 can be configured to make the corrected current flowing to the AC-DC module 110 less than the current flowing from the charging interface 152 based on the corrected current parameter signal. For example, when there is a power demand from the load connection terminal 150, the microcontroller 131 can be configured to make the corrected current flowing to the AC-DC module 110 equal to the total current from the charging interface 152 minus the current from the load connection terminal 150. For another example, when there is no power demand from the load connection terminal 150 and the circuit's own losses are not considered, the microcontroller 131 can be configured to make the corrected current flowing to the AC-DC module 110 equal to the current flowing out of the charging interface 152. For example, the microcontroller 131 can be configured to generate a current correction signal based on a first request signal indicating that there is no power demand from the load connection terminal 150 and a current parameter signal from the charging interface 152 and send it to the current correction module 134. The current correction module 134 converts the current correction signal into a second identifiable signal and then flows it to the AC-DC module 110. Alternatively, when there is no power demand from the load connection terminal 150, the microcontroller 131 can be configured not to correct the current parameter signal, but to control the current parameter signal from the charging interface 152 to bypass the AC-DC module 110 without passing through the current correction module 134.

[0055] In this embodiment, the second identifiable signal may define the maximum current that can flow to the AC-DC module 110. This allows the AC-DC module 110 to receive a current less than or equal to the current corresponding to the modified current parameter signal identifiable to the AC-DC module 110 when the switch corresponding to the AC-DC module 110, connected between the charging port 152 and the AC-DC module 110, is turned on. For example, when the battery module 170 has a high state of charge and requires less current, the current actually flowing to the AC-DC module 110 may be less than the maximum current. Furthermore, during this process, the current detection circuit 133 may recheck whether the final current flowing to the AC-DC module 110 is less than or equal to the current corresponding to the modified current parameter signal identifiable to the AC-DC module 110. If not, the switch corresponding to the AC-DC module 110 is turned off.

[0056] Optionally, the current distribution module 130 may be further configured to prioritize current flow between the load connection terminal 150 and the battery module 170 based on a comparison of the charge level of the battery module 170 with a preset threshold, and, in response to a first request signal from the load connection terminal 150 and a second request signal from the battery module 170, adjust the current flowing to the battery module 170 and the load connection terminal 150 based on the priority. This is particularly advantageous for balancing current distribution based on the power requirements of the user's load or the vehicle's battery module 170. For example, when the state of charge of the battery module 170 is less than 30%, the battery module 170 is preferably prioritized over the load connection terminal 150. When the current distribution module 130 receives the first request signal from the load connection terminal 150 and the second request signal from the battery module 170, the current flowing to the battery module 170 and the load connection terminal 150 is adjusted based on the priority of the battery module 170 over the load connection terminal 150. For example, a first predetermined percentage (e.g., 70%) of the total current from the charging interface 152 is directed to the battery module 170, while a second predetermined percentage (e.g., 30%) is directed to the load connection terminal 150, wherein the first predetermined percentage is greater than the second predetermined percentage. Furthermore, the priority can be further determined based on the mileage that the vehicle 100 will travel. For example, the controller 105 can obtain route information from a navigation system. If the route information indicates that the vehicle 100 will travel more than a predetermined number of kilometers in the near future (e.g., within two hours), the controller 105 can instruct the current distribution module 130 to prioritize the battery module 170 until the battery module 170 is fully charged or its state of charge is greater than, for example, 90%.

[0057] The charging interface 152 can be a charging interface that meets European and North American standards, including the same charging interface that is compatible with AC charging and DC charging. The same charging interface integrates a type 2 AC socket and two additional DC charging contacts. The vehicle 100 can respectively achieve AC charging and DC charging through the charging interface 152. When an external charging device connected to the charging interface 152 provides a DC power supply, DC charging can be achieved. When an external charging device connected to the charging interface 152 provides an AC power supply, AC charging can be achieved.

[0058] As described above, current distribution module 130 is configured to selectively distribute current from charging interface 152 to load connection terminal 150. Specifically, current distribution module 130 may selectively distribute current from charging interface 152 to at least one of load connection terminal 150 and AC-DC module 110 based on one or more factors, such as load power demand, battery module 170 charging demand, efficiency optimization, and vehicle operating conditions. The current distributed to AC-DC module 110 is converted by AC-DC module 110 and flows to battery module 170. For example, when the charge level of battery module 170 is below a threshold and there is no power demand from load connection terminal 150, current distribution module 130 may distribute at least a majority of the current from charging interface 152 to AC-DC module 110, thereby charging battery module 170. When the charge level of battery module 170 is above a threshold and there is power demand from load connection terminal 150, current distribution module 130 may distribute at least a majority of the current from charging interface 152 to load connection terminal 150. For another example, after charging the battery module 170 for a period of time (e.g., when its state of charge is greater than 90%), if there is a demand for power from the load connection 150, the current distribution module 130 will distribute at least a majority of the current from the charging interface 152 to the load connection 150 and no longer to the battery module 170, thereby meeting the power demand of the load connection 150 while preventing the battery module 170 from overcharging. This "selective" configuration of the current distribution module 130 can dynamically adjust the current distribution based on factors such as the actual demand of the user or the battery module 170 of the vehicle 100, thereby meeting the load charging demand while ensuring the charge level of the battery module 170. In addition, the current distribution module 130 can also be configured to selectively distribute the current from the charging interface 152 to one or more of the outlets 151. For example, based on the power demand of the outlet 151 and / or the location of the outlet 151, the current from the charging interface 152 can be distributed to one or more of the outlets 151, allowing the user to conveniently charge their load. Through the current distribution module 130 , the vehicle 100 can provide different applications of charging current to users in different scenarios.

[0059] refer to Figure 2c , which shows a schematic diagram of the current flow of the vehicle 100 described in this application in an AC charging scenario, wherein the vehicle 100 can be provided with AC power from an external AC charging device through the charging interface 152, and the flow of the AC power is as follows Figure 2cAs shown by the arrows in . In response to (for example, the controller 105 of the vehicle 100) receiving an AC charging request (for example, an AC charging request from the AC load connection terminal 155 and an AC charging request from the battery module 170), the AC current from the charging interface 152 is directed to the current distribution module 130. After being distributed by the current distribution module 130, the AC current can selectively flow to the AC-DC module 110 and the AC load connection terminal 155. The AC current flowing to the AC-DC module 110 is converted into DC power by the AC-DC module 110 and then flows to the battery module 170, thereby charging the battery module 170. It should be understood that although Figure 2c , the current distribution module 130 is shown to distribute AC power to both the battery module 170 and the AC load connection terminal 155, but the current distribution module 130 can also selectively distribute AC power to only one of the battery module 170 and the AC load connection terminal 155 based on one or more factors such as the power demand of the load, the charging demand of the battery module 170, efficiency optimization, vehicle operating conditions, etc., as described in other parts of this application.

[0060] refer to Figure 2d , which shows a schematic diagram of the current flow of the vehicle 100 described in the present application in a DC charging scenario, wherein the charging interface 152 is further connected to the battery module 170, and the DC power from the external DC charging device can be provided to the vehicle 100 through the charging interface 152. The flow direction of the DC power is as follows Figure 2d In response to receiving a DC charging request (e.g., a DC charging request from the DC load connection terminal 156 and a DC charging request from the battery module 170) (e.g., by the controller 105 of the vehicle 100), the DC power from the charging interface 152 can flow to the current distribution module 130, which selectively distributes the DC power to the DC load connection terminal 156, and can also selectively flow to the battery module 170 to directly charge the battery module 170.

[0061] refer to Figure 2e , which shows a schematic diagram of the current flow of the vehicle 100 described in this application in a discharge scenario. In which, when there is no need to charge the battery module 170, if the load has an AC power demand, the discharge of the battery module 170 can provide AC power to the vehicle 100. The flow of AC power is as follows: Figure 2eAs shown by the arrows in . In response to receiving an AC charging request from AC load connection terminal 155, DC current from battery module 170 flows to AC-DC module 110, where it is converted to AC power and then flows to current distribution module 130. Based on the power demand of the load, current distribution module 130 selectively distributes the AC power to at least one of AC load connection terminal 155 and charging port 152. For example, when vehicle 100 is driving and needs to power a load inside vehicle 100, AC power is distributed to AC load connection terminal 155. When vehicle 100 is parked and needs to power a load outside vehicle 100, AC power is distributed to charging port 152. Charging port 152 can power loads located outside vehicle 100. While vehicle 100 is parked, AC power can also be distributed to AC load connection terminal 155 to power loads inside vehicle 100.

[0062] In this embodiment, when the battery module 170 does not need to be charged, for example, when the vehicle 100 is parked, if the load outside the vehicle 100 has a DC power demand, refer again to Figure 2a Since the battery module 170 is further connected to the charging interface 152 , direct current from the battery module 170 can be provided to the charging interface 152 , thereby powering a load outside the vehicle 100 through the charging interface 152 .

[0063] refer to Figure 3a and Figure 3b ,in Figure 3a A schematic block diagram of a vehicle 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 3b The diagram shows the current flow of vehicle 200 in a charging scenario. Vehicle 200 is similar to vehicle 100 in most respects, except that the battery module 270 of vehicle 200 is not connected to the charging interface 252 but to the current distribution module 230, and in vehicle 200, the charging interface 252 is a DC charging interface. Figure 3b As shown, in response to (for example, a controller of the vehicle 200 ) receiving a DC charging request (for example, a DC charging request from the DC load connection terminal 256 and a DC charging request from the battery module 270 ), the DC current from the charging interface 252 is directed to the current distribution module 230 , and the DC current can selectively flow to the DC load connection terminal 256 and the battery module 270 after being distributed by the current distribution module 130 .

[0064] Alternatively, the charging interface 252 may be an AC charging interface. Figure 2cSimilarly, in response to receiving a charging request (for example, an AC charging request from the AC load connection terminal 255 and an AC charging request from the battery module 270), the AC current from the charging interface 252 is directed to the current distribution module 230. After being distributed by the current distribution module 230, the AC current can selectively flow to the AC load connection terminal 255 and the AC-DC module 210, and then be converted into DC power by the AC-DC module 210 and flow to the battery module 270.

[0065] In this embodiment, when the battery module 270 does not need to be charged (for example, when the vehicle is in motion or when the vehicle is parked but not charging), if the loads inside and / or outside the vehicle 200 have AC power requirements, the same method as above can be used. Figure 2e In a similar manner, the vehicle 200 is provided with AC power by discharging the battery module 270; if there is a DC power demand for loads inside and / or outside the vehicle 200, refer again to Figure 3a Since the battery module 270 is further connected to the current distribution module 230, the DC power from the battery module 270 can be provided to the current distribution module 230, and the current distribution module 130 selectively distributes the DC power to at least one of the charging interface 252 and the DC load connection terminal 256 as needed.

[0066] refer to Figure 4a and Figure 4b ,in, Figure 4a A schematic block diagram of a vehicle 300 according to a third embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 4b Schematic diagram showing the current flow of vehicle 300 in a DC charging scenario, Figure 4c The diagram shows the current flow of vehicle 300 in an AC charging scenario. Vehicle 300 is similar to vehicle 100 in most respects, except that the charging interface of vehicle 300 is a Chinese national standard type charging interface, which includes two independent charging interfaces, a DC charging interface 353 and an AC charging interface 354, and the battery module 370 is connected to the DC charging interface 353. The AC-DC module 310 can be a bidirectional on-board charger, which can perform AC to DC or DC to AC conversion according to different scenarios. Figure 4bAs shown, in response to receiving an AC charging request from the AC load connection terminal 355 and a DC charging request from the battery module 370, DC current from the DC charging interface 353 is directed to the battery module 370 to charge the battery module 370. The battery module 370 further discharges, causing DC current to flow to the AC-DC module 310. This DC current is converted to AC power by the AC-DC module 310 and then flows to the current distribution module 330. After distribution by the current distribution module 330, it can selectively flow to the AC load connection terminal 355, thereby directly charging the battery module 370 while also providing power to the AC load connection terminal 355. Furthermore, based on user needs, the current distribution module 330 can selectively distribute current to the AC load connection terminal 355 to meet the power needs of loads within the vehicle 300, and to the AC charging interface 354. Loads typically charged externally from the vehicle 300 (e.g., camping equipment) can be charged by receiving current distributed by the current distribution module 330 through the AC charging interface 354.

[0067] In this embodiment, if Figure 4c As shown, in response to receiving an AC charging request from the AC load connection terminal 355 and an AC charging request from the battery module 370, the AC current from the AC charging interface 354 is directed to the current distribution module 330, and the current distribution module 330 can selectively distribute the AC current to at least one of the AC load connection terminal 355 and the AC-DC module 310. The AC power flowing to the AC-DC module 310 is converted into DC power by the AC-DC module 310 and then flows to the battery module 370 to charge the battery module 370.

[0068] In this embodiment, when the battery module 370 does not need to be charged (for example, during vehicle driving or when the vehicle is parked but not charging), if the loads inside and / or outside the vehicle 300 have AC power requirements, the same method as above can be used. Figure 2e In a similar manner, the vehicle 300 is provided with AC power by discharging the battery module 370; if a load located outside the vehicle 300 has a DC power demand, refer again to Figure 4a Since the battery module 370 is further connected to the DC charging interface 353 , DC power from the battery module 370 can be provided to the DC charging interface 353 , and DC power can be provided to loads outside the vehicle 300 through the DC charging interface 353 .

[0069] According to a second aspect of the present application, a vehicle is provided. Similar to vehicle 100, the vehicle may include an AC-DC module, a current distribution module, and load connection terminals. Unlike vehicle 100, the current distribution module of this vehicle is configured to selectively distribute the current converted by the AC-DC module to the load connection terminals. Furthermore, the vehicle may also include a battery module connected to the AC-DC module, which converts direct current from the battery module into alternating current. In this embodiment, the current is selectively distributed to the load connection terminals via the current distribution module as the battery module discharges. For example, similar to the discharge process of battery module 170 in the third embodiment of vehicle 100, in this embodiment, the battery module discharges, causing direct current to flow to the AC-DC module. The direct current is converted to alternating current by the AC-DC module and then flows to the current distribution module. After distribution by the current distribution module, the current can selectively flow to load connection terminals, such as one or more electrical outlets. Optionally, based on user needs, the current distribution module of this vehicle can also selectively distribute current to a connected charging port, thereby powering loads external to the vehicle via the charging port.

[0070] According to a third aspect of the present application, a method for controlling a vehicle is provided. The vehicle may be, for example, any of the vehicles 100 to 300 described above. The control method described herein is described below using vehicle 100 as an example. Vehicle 100 includes an AC-DC module 110, a load connection terminal 150, a current distribution module 130 connected between the AC-DC module 110 and the load connection terminal 150, and a charging interface 152 connected to the current distribution module 130. The control method for vehicle 100 may include controlling the current distribution module 130 to selectively distribute current from the charging interface 152 to the load connection terminal 150. In one embodiment, some or all steps of the control method for vehicle 100 described herein may be performed by the controller 105 of vehicle 100. In another embodiment, some or all steps of the control method for vehicle 100 described herein may be performed by at least one of the controller 105, the AC-DC module 110, and the current distribution module 130 of vehicle 100.

[0071] refer to Figure 5 , which shows a first embodiment (method 310) of the control method of the vehicle 100 according to the present invention. This first embodiment can be applied to, for example, Figure 2cThe AC charging scenario of the vehicle 100 shown. Method 310 may start at box 311. For example, method 310 may start in response to the vehicle 100 being parked in a specific area (e.g., a parking lot with a home or public AC charging device) and the vehicle 100 being connected to the home or public AC charging device. Next, in box 313, it is determined whether a charging request is received. For example, the controller 105 may receive a first request signal from the load connection terminal 150 and a second request signal from the battery module 170, and may determine whether a charging request is received based on whether at least one of the first request signal and the second request signal is received. If no charging request is received, method 310 proceeds to box 329 and method 310 ends. If a charging request is received, method 310 proceeds to box 315 to determine whether a charging request is received only from the load connection terminal 150 (e.g., the AC load connection terminal 155). If only a charge request is received from the load connection terminal 150, method 310 proceeds to block 325, where the current from the charging interface 152 is controlled to flow selectively to the load connection terminal 150 via the current distribution module 130. For example, the battery management system (BMS) of the battery module 170 may cancel charging of the battery module 170 without generating the second request signal based on the battery module 170's charge level exceeding a threshold (e.g., 80%) or the user selecting to cancel charging of the battery module 170 via the user interface of the vehicle 100. Therefore, the controller 105 receives only the first request signal and not the second request signal. The controller 105 controls the current from the charging interface 152 to flow to the current distribution module 130, where it is then distributed and selectively flows to the load connection terminal 150. At block 326, the load connection terminal 150 is charged.

[0072] If a charge request is not received from only the load connection terminal 150 at block 315 , method 310 proceeds to block 317 to determine whether a charge request is received from only the battery module 170. If a charge request is received from only the battery module 170, method 310 proceeds to block 327 to control the current from the charging interface 152 to flow to the AC-DC module 110 via the current distribution module 130, and then to flow to the battery module 170 after being converted by the AC-DC module 110. For example, the battery management system (BMS) of the battery module 170 may generate a second request signal based on the battery module 170's charge level falling below a threshold (e.g., 30%) or a user selecting to charge the battery module 170 through the user interface of the vehicle 100. Meanwhile, no load is connected to the load connection terminal 150 and no first request signal is generated. Therefore, the controller 105 receives only the second request signal but not the first request signal, and controls the current from the charging interface 152 to flow to the current distribution module 130, and then to the AC-DC module 110 through the current distribution module 130, and then to the battery module 170. In block 328, the battery module 170 is charged.

[0073] If, at block 317 , a charge request is not received from only the battery module 170 , indicating that a charge request has been received from both the load connection terminal 150 and the battery module 170 , the method 310 proceeds to block 319 , where the current from the charging interface 152 is directed to the current distribution module 130 . Thereafter, the method 310 proceeds to block 321 , where the current distribution module 130 is directed to selectively distribute a portion of the current from the charging interface to the load connection terminal 150 ; the current parameter signal from the charging interface 152 is modified; and the current modification module 134 is directed to distribute the current to the AC-DC module 110 based on the modified current parameter signal. For example, in response to receiving both the first request signal and the second request signal, controller 105 sends an instruction to current distribution module 130 to selectively distribute the current from charging interface 152 to load connection terminal 150 and battery module 170. Microcontroller 131 in current distribution module 130 modifies the current parameter signal from charging interface 152 and controls current modification module 134 to distribute the current to AC-DC module 110 based on the modified current parameter signal. The current distributed to AC-DC module 110 is converted and flows to battery module 170. Next, in block 323, load connection terminal 150 and battery module 170 are charged.

[0074] Thereafter, the method 310 proceeds to block 329 where the method 310 ends.

[0075] refer to Figure 6 , which shows a second embodiment (method 340) of the control method of the vehicle 100 according to the present invention. This second embodiment can be applied to, for example, Figure 2d The DC charging scenario of the vehicle 100 shown in FIG. 340 may begin at block 341 . For example, the method 340 may begin in response to the vehicle 100 being parked in a specific area (e.g., a parking lot with a home or public DC charger) and the vehicle 100 being connected to the home or public DC charger. Next, in block 343 , a determination is made as to whether a charging request has been received. If no charging request has been received, the method 340 proceeds to block 359 , where the method 340 ends. If a charging request has been received, the method 340 proceeds to block 345 , where a determination is made as to whether a charging request has been received only for the load connection terminal 150 (e.g., the DC load connection terminal 156 ). If a charging request has been received only for the load connection terminal 150 , the method 340 proceeds to block 355 , where the current from the charging interface 152 is controlled to selectively flow to the load connection terminal 150 via the current distribution module 130 . Thereafter, in block 356 , the load connection terminal 150 is charged.

[0076] If a charge request is not received only from the load connection terminal 150 at block 345 , the method 340 proceeds to block 347 to determine whether a charge request is received only from the battery module 170 . If a charge request is received only from the battery module 170 , the method 340 proceeds to block 357 to control the current from the charging interface 152 to flow to the battery module 170 , thereby directly charging the battery module 170 at block 358 .

[0077] If, in block 347, a charge request is not received from only the battery module 170, indicating that charge requests are received from both the load connection terminal 150 and the battery module 170 (e.g., a first request signal is received from the load connection terminal 150 and a second request signal is received from the battery module 170), the method 340 proceeds to block 349 to control the current from the charging interface 152 to flow to the current distribution module 130 and the battery module 170, and to control the current distribution module 130 to selectively distribute the current from the charging interface 152 to the load connection terminal 150. Next, in block 353, the load connection terminal 150 and the battery module 170 are charged.

[0078] Thereafter, the method 340 proceeds to block 359 where the method 340 ends.

[0079] refer to Figure 7 , the third embodiment (method 370) of the control method of the vehicle 100 of the present invention. This third embodiment can be applied to, for example Figure 3bThe DC charging scenario of vehicle 100 is shown. Blocks 371-377, 383, 388-389, and 385 and 386 of method 370 are the same as blocks 341-347, 353, 358-359, and 355 and 356 of method 340, but blocks 379 and 387 of method 370 differ from blocks 349 and 357 of method 340. Specifically, in block 377, in response to not receiving a charge request from only battery module 170, indicating that both a charge request from battery module 170 and a charge request from load connection terminal 150 have been received, method 370 proceeds to block 379 to control the current from charging interface 152 to flow to current distribution module 130. Next, in block 381, current distribution module 130 is controlled to selectively distribute the current from charging interface 152 to load connection terminal 150 and battery module 170. In block 383 , the load connection terminal 150 and the battery module 170 are charged, where the battery module 170 can be charged directly using the current from the charging interface 150 . In block 377 , in response to receiving a charge request only from the battery module 170 , the method 370 proceeds to block 387 , where the current from the charging interface 152 is controlled to flow to the battery module 170 via the current distribution module 130 . Then, in block 388 , the battery module 170 is charged. The method 370 then proceeds to block 389 , where it ends.

[0080] In summary, compared to the prior art, this application proposes a vehicle and a vehicle control method. The solution of this application is applicable to various vehicle scenarios, providing users with a convenient way to obtain current to charge their loads or batteries while meeting cost-effectiveness.

[0081] Under the premise of being technically feasible, the technical features listed above for different embodiments can be combined with each other to form other embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

[0082] This application document is intended to illustrate how to use the disclosed technology and various embodiments, and is not intended to limit the scope and spirit to which it is actually directed and to which it is equivalent. Furthermore, the above description is not intended to be exhaustive of all possibilities or to limit the scope of protection to the precise form disclosed. In accordance with the above teachings, changes and variations are possible. The selected and illustrated embodiments provide the best illustration of the principles of the technology and its practical application, and enable those skilled in the art to use the disclosed technology for various changes in various conceivable specific applications. Therefore, without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the technology described herein, various changes and modifications made to the above-described embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising: AC-DC modules; Load connection terminal; a current distribution module connected between the AC-DC module and the load connection terminal; a charging interface, the charging interface being connected to the current distribution module; The current distribution module is configured to selectively distribute the current from the charging interface to the load connection terminal. 2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the current distribution module is configured to selectively distribute the current from the charging port to the AC-DC module. 3 . The vehicle according to claim 2 , further comprising a battery module connected to the AC-DC module, wherein the AC-DC module is configured to provide the converted current to the battery module. 4 . The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a battery module, wherein the charging interface is connected to the battery module, and the charging interface is configured to supply power to the battery module. 5 . The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a battery module, wherein the current distribution module is connected to the battery module, and the current distribution module is configured to selectively distribute the current from the charging port to the battery module.

6. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the current distribution module comprises a microcontroller and a current correction module electrically connected to the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller is configured to correct the current parameter signal from the charging port based on the first request signal from the load connection terminal, and the current correction module is configured to distribute the current flowing to the AC-DC module based on the corrected current parameter signal. 7 . The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to: based on the corrected current parameter signal, cause the current flowing to the AC-DC module to be less than the current flowing out of the charging port.

8. In the vehicle as described in claim 3, the current distribution module is configured to: assign a priority of current flow to the load connection terminal and the battery module based on a comparison between the power level of the battery module and a preset threshold value, and adjust the current flowing to the battery module and the load connection terminal based on the priority in response to a first request signal from the load connection terminal and a second request signal from the battery module.

9. A vehicle comprising: AC-DC modules; Load connection terminal; Current distribution module; The current distribution module is connected between the AC-DC module and the load connection terminal, and is configured to selectively distribute the current converted by the AC-DC module to the load connection terminal. 10 . The vehicle of claim 9 , further comprising a battery module, the AC-DC module being connected to the battery module and converting direct current from the battery module into alternating current.

11. The vehicle as described in claim 9, wherein the current distribution module includes a microcontroller, a switch and a current detection circuit, the switch and the current detection module are connected to the load connection end in sequence, and the microcontroller is configured to control the conduction or disconnection of the corresponding switch based on the current signal of the corresponding load connection end detected by the current detection circuit.

12. A method for controlling a vehicle, the vehicle comprising an AC-DC module, a load connection terminal, a current distribution module connected between the AC-DC module and the load connection terminal, and a charging interface connected to the current distribution module; The control method includes: The current distribution module is controlled to selectively distribute the current from the charging interface to the load connection terminal.

13. The control method according to claim 12, wherein the vehicle further comprises a battery module connected to the AC-DC module, and the control method further comprises: In response to a charging request from the battery module, the current distribution module is controlled to selectively distribute the current from the charging interface to the AC-DC module, so that the current flows to the battery module after being converted by the AC-DC module.

14. The control method according to claim 12, wherein the vehicle further comprises a battery module connected to the charging port; the control method further comprising: In response to a charge request from the battery module, the current of the charging interface is controlled to flow to the battery module.

15. The control method according to claim 12, wherein the vehicle further comprises a battery module connected to the current distribution module; the control method further comprises: In response to a charge request from the battery module, the current distribution module is controlled to selectively distribute the current from the charging interface to the battery module.

16. The control method according to claim 13, wherein the current distribution module comprises a current correction module located between the charging interface and the AC-DC module, and the control method further comprises: modifying a current parameter signal from the charging interface based on a first request signal from the load connection terminal; The current correction module is controlled to distribute the current flowing to the AC-DC module in response to the corrected current parameter signal.

17. The control method according to claim 16, comprising: Based on the corrected current parameter signal, the current flowing to the AC-DC module is controlled to be smaller than the current flowing out of the charging port.

18. The control method according to claim 13, comprising: assigning priorities of current flow directions to the load connection terminals and the battery modules based on a comparison of the power level of the battery modules with a preset threshold; as well as In response to a first request signal from the load connection terminal and a second request signal from the battery module, currents flowing to the battery module and the load connection terminal are adjusted based on the priority.

19. The control method according to claim 12, wherein: The charging interface is connected to an external AC charging device; the control method includes: controlling the current distribution module to selectively distribute the AC power from the charging interface to the load connection terminal.

20. The control method according to claim 18, comprising: In response to the request signal of the battery module, the current distribution module is controlled to selectively distribute the alternating current from the charging interface to the AC-DC module, which converts the alternating current into direct current and then flows to the battery module.

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