Charging control method and device, equipment and storage medium

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a charging control method and device, equipment and a storage medium. The method comprises the steps of determining a charging demand of the electric vehicle based on charging reference information of the electric vehicle; determining charging equipment in at least one candidate charging station matched with the charging demand; generating at least one candidate reservation scheme based on the charging equipment in the at least one candidate charging station; and in response to a received selection instruction for a target reservation scheme in the at least one candidate reservation scheme, sending a charging reservation request to a target charging station or target charging equipment corresponding to the target reservation scheme so as to request to lock the target charging equipment before a charging period indicated by the target reservation scheme. Therefore, the flexibility, accuracy and matching degree of the charging service can be improved, the charging efficiency can also be improved, and the charging service experience of the public charging station can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The exemplary embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to the field of charging scheduling, and particularly to methods, apparatus, devices, computer-readable storage media, and computer program products for charging control. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of the electric vehicle industry, the number of electric vehicles on the road continues to increase, and users' charging demand is growing stronger, leading to a surge in the number of public charging stations. However, the charging services provided by charging station operators remain relatively limited, and the quality of these services still needs improvement. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In a first aspect of this disclosure, a method for charging control is provided. The method is applied to a charging management platform and includes: determining the charging demand of an electric vehicle based on charging reference information of the electric vehicle, the charging demand indicating at least the electric vehicle's requirements for a charging location and / or charging period; identifying charging equipment in at least one candidate charging station matching the charging demand; generating at least one candidate reservation scheme based on the charging equipment in the at least one candidate charging station, each candidate reservation scheme including at least vehicle information of the electric vehicle, equipment information of the charging equipment, and time information indicating a charging period; and in response to receiving a selection instruction for a target reservation scheme among the at least one candidate reservation scheme, sending a charging reservation request to a target charging station or target charging equipment corresponding to the target reservation scheme to request locking the target charging equipment before the charging period indicated by the target reservation scheme.

[0004] In a second aspect of this disclosure, a method for charging control is provided. The method is applied to a control device of a charging station, comprising: receiving a charging reservation request for a charging device in the charging station, the charging reservation request including a target reservation scheme, the target reservation scheme including at least device information of the target charging device, vehicle information of the electric vehicle to which the charging reservation request is directed, and time information indicating a charging period; locking the target charging device using a locking device before the charging period based on the time information and the device information; acquiring vehicle information of the vehicle in response to detecting the arrival of a vehicle at the charging station during the charging period; and releasing the locking device from the target charging device if it is determined that the acquired vehicle information matches the vehicle information included in the target reservation scheme.

[0005] In a third aspect of this disclosure, a method for charging control is provided. The method is applied to a charging device and includes: receiving a charging reservation request for the charging device, the charging reservation request including a target reservation scheme, the target reservation scheme including at least vehicle information of an electric vehicle for which the reservation request is directed and time information indicating a charging period; in response to detecting that the electric vehicle is connected to a charging terminal of the charging device during the charging period indicated by the time information, acquiring the vehicle information of the electric vehicle; and if it is determined that the acquired vehicle information matches the vehicle information in the target reservation scheme, performing a charging operation on the electric vehicle using the charging terminal.

[0006] In a fourth aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus for charging control is provided. The apparatus includes: a first determining module configured to determine a charging demand of an electric vehicle based on charging reference information of the electric vehicle, the charging demand indicating at least the electric vehicle's requirements for a charging location and a charging period; a second determining module configured to determine charging equipment in at least one candidate charging station matching the charging demand; a generating module configured to generate at least one candidate reservation scheme based on the charging equipment in the at least one candidate charging station, each candidate reservation scheme including at least vehicle information of the electric vehicle, equipment information of the charging equipment, and time information indicating a charging period; and a sending module configured to, in response to receiving a selection instruction for a target reservation scheme among the at least one candidate reservation scheme, send a charging reservation request to a target charging station or target charging equipment corresponding to the target reservation scheme, requesting that the target charging equipment be locked before the charging period indicated by the target reservation scheme.

[0007] In a fifth aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus for charging control is provided. The apparatus includes: a first receiving module configured to receive a charging reservation request for a charging device in a charging station, the charging reservation request including a target reservation scheme, the target reservation scheme including at least device information of the target charging device, vehicle information of the electric vehicle to which the charging reservation request is directed, and time information indicating a charging period; a locking module configured to lock the target charging device using a locking device before the charging period based on the time information and the device information; a first acquiring module configured to acquire vehicle information of a vehicle in response to detecting the arrival of a vehicle at the charging station during the charging period; and an unlocking module configured to release the locking device from the target charging device if it is determined that the acquired vehicle information matches the vehicle information included in the target reservation scheme.

[0008] In a sixth aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus for charging control is provided. The apparatus includes: a second receiving module configured to receive a charging reservation request for a charging device, the charging reservation request including a target reservation scheme, the target reservation scheme including at least vehicle information of an electric vehicle to which the reservation request is directed and time information indicating a charging period; a second acquiring module configured to acquire the vehicle information of the electric vehicle in response to detecting that the electric vehicle is connected to the charging terminal of the charging device during the charging period indicated by the time information; and a charging module configured to perform a charging operation on the electric vehicle using the charging terminal if it is determined that the acquired vehicle information matches the vehicle information in the target reservation scheme.

[0009] In a seventh aspect of this disclosure, an electronic device is provided. The device includes at least one processing unit; and at least one memory coupled to the at least one processing unit and storing instructions for execution by the at least one processing unit. When executed by the at least one processing unit, the instructions cause the electronic device to perform the methods of the first aspect, the second aspect, or the third aspect.

[0010] In an eighth aspect of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided. A computer program is stored on the medium, which, when executed by a processor, implements the methods of the first, second, or third aspect.

[0011] In a ninth aspect of this disclosure, a computer program product is provided, comprising a computer program, wherein when executed by a processor, the computer program implements a method according to a first, second, or third aspect of this disclosure.

[0012] It should be understood that the description in this section is not intended to limit the key or essential features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to restrict the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0013] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements, wherein:

[0014] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an example environment in which embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented is shown;

[0015] Figure 2 A flowchart of a signaling flow for charging control according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0016] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an example architecture for charging control according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0017] Figures 4 to 8 Flowcharts of processes for charging control according to some embodiments of the present disclosure are shown respectively;

[0018] Figures 9 to 11 Schematic structural block diagrams of a charging control apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure are shown respectively; and

[0019] Figure 12 A block diagram of an electronic device that can implement one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of this disclosure. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0021] In the description of embodiments of this disclosure, the term "comprising" and similar terms should be understood as open-ended inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to". The term "based on" should be understood as "at least partially based on". The term "one embodiment" or "the embodiment" should be understood as "at least one embodiment". The term "some embodiments" should be understood as "at least some embodiments". Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below.

[0022] In this document, unless explicitly stated otherwise, performing a step in response to A does not mean that the step is performed immediately after A, but may include one or more intermediate steps.

[0023] It is understood that the data involved in this technical solution (including but not limited to the data itself, the acquisition, use, storage or deletion of the data) shall comply with the requirements of relevant laws, regulations and related provisions.

[0024] It is understood that before using the technical solutions disclosed in the various embodiments of this disclosure, relevant users should be informed of the type, scope of use, and usage scenarios of the information involved in this disclosure through appropriate means in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, and authorization from relevant users should be obtained. Among them, relevant users may include any type of rights holder, such as individuals, enterprises, and groups.

[0025] For example, in response to receiving an active request from a user, a prompt message is sent to the relevant user to clearly inform the user that the requested operation will require obtaining and using the user's information, thereby enabling the relevant user to choose whether to provide information to the software or hardware such as the electronic device, application, server, or storage medium that performs the operation of the technical solution disclosed herein based on the prompt message.

[0026] As an optional but non-restrictive implementation, in response to a user's active request, a prompt message can be sent to the user, such as a pop-up window, where the prompt message can be presented in text format. Furthermore, the pop-up window can also include a selection control allowing the user to choose "agree" or "disagree" to provide information to the electronic device.

[0027] It is understood that the above notification and user authorization process are merely illustrative and do not constitute a limitation on the implementation of this disclosure. Other methods that comply with relevant laws and regulations may also be applied to the implementation of this disclosure.

[0028] As mentioned earlier, with the rapid development of the electric vehicle industry, the number of electric vehicles on the road continues to increase, and users' charging demand is becoming increasingly strong, leading to a surge in the number of public charging stations. Some private charging equipment providers, aiming to reduce charging costs, accept user reservations for charging periods (such as during off-peak electricity hours) when their charging terminals are connected to the charging ports of electric vehicles. However, this approach is not suitable for public charging stations. Public charging stations typically operate on a first-come, first-served basis, where vehicles arrive at the station and choose an available charging station. Under this system, users not only need to search for and select charging stations themselves, but often find no available charging stations upon arrival, or that the available stations are incompatible with their electric vehicles. Therefore, the charging service model of public charging stations still needs improvement; the flexibility, accuracy, compatibility, and efficiency of the charging service all require enhancement.

[0029] According to embodiments of this disclosure, an improved scheme for charging control is provided. In this scheme, based on charging reference information of an electric vehicle, the charging demand of the electric vehicle is determined; charging equipment in at least one candidate charging station matching the charging demand is identified; and at least one candidate reservation scheme is generated based on the charging equipment in the at least one candidate charging station. Then, in response to receiving a selection instruction for a target reservation scheme among the at least one candidate reservation scheme, a charging reservation request is sent to the target charging station or target charging equipment corresponding to the target reservation scheme, requesting that the target charging equipment be locked before the charging period indicated by the target reservation scheme.

[0030] According to embodiments of this disclosure, charging stations and charging equipment can be accurately recommended to users. After a user selects a charging station and charging equipment, the reserved charging equipment can be locked during the scheduled charging time to prevent the equipment from being occupied, thereby improving the charging fulfillment rate. This not only improves the flexibility, accuracy, and matching degree of charging services but also enhances charging efficiency and optimizes the process and experience of charging services at public charging stations.

[0031] Example Environment

[0032] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an example environment 100 in which embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented is shown. For example... Figure 1 As shown, environment 100 includes server equipment 110, terminal equipment 120, electric vehicle 130, users 125 and 135, and charging station 140, which may have one or more charging devices 160 deployed.

[0033] In the embodiments of this disclosure, the server device 110 can provide background management services for the charging device 120. Exemplarily, the server device 110 may deploy a charging management platform 111, which is used for real-time monitoring and remote control of the charging device 160. The charging management platform 111 can utilize the communication connection between the server device 110 and the charging device 160 to receive charging status information reported by the charging device 160, thereby monitoring the charging status of the charging device 160 in real time. The charging management platform 111 can also utilize the communication connection between the server device 110 and the charging device 160 to send scheduling policies to the charging device 160, instructing the charging device 120 to perform scheduling operations on the charging process.

[0034] The charging management platform 111 can be deployed on the server device 110, or on the terminal device 130 or electric vehicle 130. For example, the terminal device 130 or electric vehicle 130 can run a client application for the charging management platform 111, which can support user interaction with the charging management platform 111 provided by the server device. When the charging management platform 111 runs locally on the terminal device 120, the user 125 can directly interact with the local charging management platform 111 using the terminal device 120. When the charging management platform 111 runs on the server device 110, the server device 110 can provide services to the client application running on the terminal device 120 based on the communication connection between the server device 110 and the terminal device 120.

[0035] In some embodiments, the server device 110 may be a standalone physical server, a server cluster or distributed system composed of multiple physical servers, or a cloud server providing basic cloud computing services such as cloud services, cloud databases, cloud computing, cloud functions, cloud storage, network services, cloud communication, middleware services, domain name services, security services, content delivery networks, and big data and artificial intelligence platforms. The server device 110 may, for example, include computing systems / servers such as mainframes, edge computing nodes, computing devices in a cloud environment, and so on.

[0036] In some embodiments, the charging station 140 may be equipped with a control device 150, and a charging management platform 111 may also be deployed on the control device. The control device 150 can communicate with the server device 110, and the server device 110 can provide support for the control device 150 in charging management. The charging station 140 may also be equipped with devices such as cameras, NFC identification devices, door locks, gates, and ground locks. The control device 150 can be connected to the cameras, NFC identification devices, door locks, gates, and ground locks within the charging station 140. The control device 150 can receive detection information from detection devices such as cameras and NFC identification devices. The control device 150 can also control locking devices such as door locks, gates, and ground locks based on the detection information. The control device 150 may include, for example, a computing system / server, such as a mainframe, edge computing node, computing device in a cloud environment, etc.

[0037] Charging equipment 160 is used to charge electric vehicle 130. For example... Figure 1As shown, charging station 140 may include one or more charging devices 160. For example, charging station 140 may include multiple charging devices such as charging devices 160-1, 160-2, ..., 160-N. Charging device 160 may have one or more charging terminals for connecting to the charging port of electric vehicle 130. Charging device 120 may establish a communication connection with server device 110 and / or control device 150. The communication connection can be established via wired or wireless means. The communication connection may include, but is not limited to, Bluetooth connection, mobile network connection, Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection, Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) connection, etc., and the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited in this respect. In the embodiments of this disclosure, charging device 160 and server device 110 can achieve signaling interaction through the communication connection between them, and charging device 160 and control device 150 can also achieve signaling interaction through the communication connection between them. In some embodiments, the charging device 160 may further include a billing control unit (TCU), which may be configured to send charging status information to the charging management platform 111 based on the communication connection between the charging device 160 and the server device 110. The TCU may also be configured to send charging status information to the charging management platform 111 based on the communication connection between the charging device 160 and the control device 150.

[0038] Electric vehicle 130 may include pure electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, etc. For example, electric vehicle 130 may include sedans, sports utility vehicles (SUVs), multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs), buses, trucks and other freight or passenger vehicles, water transport vehicles including various boats and boats, and aircraft, etc. The type of electric vehicle 130 is not limited here. In some embodiments, electric vehicle 130 may also include autonomous electric vehicles, shared electric vehicles, etc.

[0039] An application may be installed on the terminal device 120. In embodiments of this disclosure, the application may be an application related to a charging reservation service. The user 125 may interact with the application via the terminal device 120 and / or an attached device of the terminal device 120. The terminal device 120 communicates with the server device 110 to provide services to the application. The terminal device 120 may be any type of mobile terminal, fixed terminal, or portable terminal, including mobile phones, desktop computers, laptop computers, notebook computers, netbook computers, tablet computers, media computers, multimedia tablets, personal communication system (PCS) devices, personal navigation devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), audio / video players, digital cameras / camcorders, positioning devices, television receivers, radio receivers, e-book devices, gaming devices, or any combination thereof, including accessories and peripherals of these devices or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the terminal device 120 may also support any type of user-facing interface (such as "wearable" circuitry). In some embodiments, the user 125 of the terminal device 120 and the user 135 of the electric vehicle 130 may be the same user or different users.

[0040] It should be understood that the structure and function of the various elements in environment 100 are described for illustrative purposes only and do not imply any limitation on the scope of this disclosure.

[0041] Example Interaction

[0042] Some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] Figure 2 A flowchart of a signaling flow 200 for charging control according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The signaling flow 200 relates to an electric vehicle 130, a charging management platform 111, a control device 150, and a charging device 160. The following will be combined with… Figure 1 The environment is described by 100. Figure 2 The signaling flow shown is 200.

[0044] In the embodiments of this disclosure, as shown in signaling flow 200, electric vehicle 130 sends (201) charging reference information to charging management platform 111, and charging management platform 111 determines (203) the charging needs of electric vehicle based on receiving (202) charging reference information from electric vehicle 130.

[0045] To illustrate the charging reservation process, the following will combine... Figure 3 Please provide an explanation. Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an example architecture 300 for charging control according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 3As shown, the charging management platform 111 may include a demand access layer 310. In practical applications, charging reservations can be initiated to this demand access layer 310 in various ways. The following examples illustrate the triggering methods for charging reservations.

[0046] In the first example, such as Figure 3 As shown, electric vehicle 130 can be a manned electric vehicle 130-1. User 135 can determine whether a charging reservation needs to be made. If a charging reservation needs to be made, the user can operate electric vehicle 130-1 through various methods such as voice, buttons, and touch screen to trigger the charging reservation operation. Upon receiving the charging reservation operation, electric vehicle 130-1 can send a charging reservation request to the demand access layer 310 of charging management platform 111 based on the communication connection between electric vehicle 130-1 and charging management platform 111.

[0047] In the second example, the vehicle control system (e.g., battery management system) of electric vehicle 130-1 can determine whether a charging reservation needs to be made based on its own power information or other information. If it is determined that a charging reservation needs to be made, a charging reservation prompt can be presented. In response to receiving a confirmation instruction for the charging reservation, electric vehicle 130-1 can send a charging reservation request to the demand access layer 310.

[0048] In the third example, such as Figure 3 As shown, electric vehicle 130 can also be an autonomous electric vehicle 130-2. The autonomous driving system of electric vehicle 130-2 can determine whether to make a charging reservation based on its own battery status, predetermined charging strategy, and other information. If it is determined that a charging reservation is required, a charging reservation application can be sent to the demand access layer 310 based on the communication connection between electric vehicle 130-2 and charging management platform 111.

[0049] It is understood that in practical applications, charging reservations are not limited to being triggered by the electric vehicle 130; they can also be requested through the terminal device 120 or other devices. For example, such as... Figure 3 As shown, if user 125 determines that a charging reservation needs to be made, the user can trigger terminal device 120 to perform the charging reservation operation through terminal device 120 or an attached device of terminal device 120. In response to receiving the charging reservation operation, terminal device 120 can send a charging reservation application to demand access layer 310 based on the communication connection between terminal device 120 and charging management platform 111. The charging reservation application may include at least some charging reference information.

[0050] In some embodiments, the charging management platform 111 can determine the predicted travel distance and / or predicted parking location of the electric vehicle 130 based on the charging reference information of the electric vehicle 130. Based on the predicted travel distance and / or predicted parking location of the charging vehicle, the charging requirements of the electric vehicle 130 are determined. These charging requirements at least indicate the electric vehicle 130's requirements for charging location and / or charging time. Of course, charging requirements can also indicate the charging vehicle's requirements for time consumption, distance, charging costs, auxiliary facilities, etc.

[0051] This charging reference information is used to provide a reference for determining the charging needs of electric vehicle 130, and may include one or more reference information that can provide a reference for determining charging needs. For example, the charging reference information may include, but is not limited to, time information indicating the charging period, distance, travel plan, electric vehicle 130's battery information (e.g., remaining battery power), configuration information (e.g., charging port type, charging parameters, etc.). The charging reference information may also include, but is not limited to, information related to safety, information related to reliability, information related to price or cost, information related to charging station 140 auxiliary facilities, parking fee reduction policies, station rating, station utilization rate, number and success rate of recently completed charging, equipment power, station discounts, etc.

[0052] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown in box 301, the charging management platform 111 can obtain charging reference information from the demand access layer 310. In box 302, the charging management platform 111 can perform trip analysis and parking point analysis on the electric vehicle 130 based on the charging reference information, and determine the predicted trip and predicted parking location based on the analysis results. Then, based on the predicted trip and predicted parking location, it determines the electric vehicle 130's demand for charging location. For example, it can analyze the predicted trip of the electric vehicle 130 based on the travel plan, and determine the predicted parking location based on the predicted trip and the electric vehicle 130's battery information, etc. Then, it can determine the requirements for charging location based on the reserved parking location. Of course, the charging management platform 111 can also analyze the electric vehicle 130's requirements for time consumption, distance, charging cost, compatibility, and auxiliary equipment in the charging station 140, etc.

[0053] As shown in signaling flow 200, the charging management platform 111 determines (204) charging devices 160 in at least one candidate charging station that match the charging demand. Alternatively or additionally, the charging management platform 111 may determine charging devices 160 in at least one candidate charging station that meet the requirements of charging location and charging time period, based on, for example, the electric vehicle 130's requirements for charging location and charging time period. For example, one or more charging stations 140 near the predicted parking location may be selected, and these charging stations may have charging devices in a non-reserved state during the charging time period.

[0054] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the charging management platform 111 can determine charging selection requirements 303 and sorting requirements 304 based on charging demand. Charging selection requirements 303 are used to select charging stations and charging equipment. Alternatively or additionally, charging selection requirements 303 may include at least one of the following: a limitation requirement on the state of charge (SOC) of the charging equipment 160 in charging station 140, or a requirement indicating whether the charging equipment 160 in charging station 140 supports charging reservations. For example, some users may want to increase their driving range and want the electric vehicle 130's SOC to reach 100% or greater than 90%. During the process of triggering a charging reservation application, the limitation requirement on the SOC of the charging equipment 160 in charging station 140 can be configured. Also, for example, some charging stations 140 may not support charging reservations, and these charging stations 140 need to be filtered out when selecting candidate charging stations. Of course, the above-described charging selection requirements 303 are merely exemplary and should not be construed as being limited to the above requirements. During the process of triggering a charging reservation, users can also select any appropriate charging selection requirement 303 according to their actual needs. For example, multiple candidate charging selection requests 303 can be presented on the charging reservation interface, and in response to receiving a selection operation for multiple candidate charging selection requests, the selected charging selection request can be sent to the charging management platform 111.

[0055] The sorting requirement 304 here is used to sort the selected charging stations and charging equipment. Alternatively or additionally, the sorting requirement 304 may include at least one of the following: the time required for the electric vehicle 130 to perform a charging operation from the charging equipment 160 in the charging station 140, the distance between the electric vehicle 130 and the charging station 140, the charging cost of charging at the charging station 140, the compatibility requirements between the electric vehicle 130 and the charging equipment 160 in the charging station 140, or the requirements for auxiliary facilities in the charging station 140.

[0056] The time required for the electric vehicle 130 to perform a charging operation at the charging equipment 160 in the charging station 140 may include the charging time of the electric vehicle 130, as well as the time required for the electric vehicle 130 to travel from its current location, a location in the predicted journey, or a predicted parking location to the charging station 140 and the return trip time, etc.

[0057] The distance between electric vehicle 130 and charging station 140 can be the distance between the current position of electric vehicle 130 and charging station 140, the distance between a position of electric vehicle 130 in its predicted journey (e.g., the position closest to charging station 140) and charging station 140, or the distance between a predicted parking position of electric vehicle 130 (e.g., the predicted parking position closest to charging station) and charging station 140. Of course, this distance can be calculated in multiple ways, and any appropriate distance can be selected according to actual needs.

[0058] The charging cost at charging station 140 may include the cost of purchasing electricity for electric vehicle 130, as well as other costs such as distance cost and time cost. For example, some users may prefer charging station 140 with lower electricity purchase cost, while others may prefer charging station 140 with lower time cost, distance cost, or overall cost.

[0059] The compatibility requirements between the electric vehicle 130 and the charging equipment 160 in the charging station 140 may include, but are not limited to, compatibility requirements between the charging port of the electric vehicle 130 and the charging terminal of the charging equipment 160, compatibility requirements between the charging protocol used by the electric vehicle 130 and the charging protocol used by the charging equipment 160, and compatibility requirements between the charging modes supported by the electric vehicle 130 and the charging modes supported by the charging equipment 160, etc. For example, in some scenarios, the electric vehicle 130 may have different types of charging ports or may use different types of charging protocols. Correspondingly, the charging equipment 160 may also have different types of charging terminals or may use different types of charging protocols. If the types of charging terminals and charging ports are different or the types of charging protocols used are different, the charging equipment 160 may be unable to charge the electric vehicle 130. In other scenarios, the electric vehicle 130 may support charging operations at a relatively high charging power (e.g., fast charging mode), but the charging equipment 160 may only support charging operations at a relatively low charging power (e.g., normal charging mode).

[0060] Requirements for auxiliary facilities in charging station 140 may include requirements for rest areas, catering facilities, supermarkets, restrooms, etc. For example, some users may wish to eat while charging, and therefore require that the selected charging station 140 have a restaurant. Similarly, some users may wish to rest while charging, and therefore require that the selected charging station 140 have a rest area. It is understood that the charging selection requirements 303 and 304 described above are merely illustrative and should not be construed as being limited to the above requirements. Any appropriate charging selection requirement 303 and 304 can be selected according to actual needs.

[0061] Continue to combine Figure 3 As shown, given that charging selection requirement 303 has been determined, the charging management platform 111 can identify charging devices 160 in one or more charging stations 140 that meet the charging selection requirement 303. For example, the selected charging devices 160 in the charging station 140 can support charging reservations and can charge the electric vehicle 130 to 100% charge. The charging management platform 111 can determine the matching degree between the charging devices 160 in one or more charging stations 140 and the charging demand based on the ranking requirement 304, to obtain a ranking result of one or more charging stations according to the matching degree. Then, based on the ranking result, at least one charging device 160 from the charging devices 160 in the one or more charging stations 140 can be selected.

[0062] For example, the charging management platform 111 can determine the individual matching score between the charging equipment in multiple charging stations 140 and each requirement in the sorting requirements 304. Then, the charging management platform 111 can determine the comprehensive matching score between the charging equipment 160 in each charging station 140 and the charging demand based on the weights of each requirement in the sorting requirements 304 and the individual matching scores. For example, when the required time is short, the individual matching score for the required time can have a higher score. When the charging cost is high, the individual matching score for the charging cost can have a lower score. If the charging station 140 does not have the auxiliary facilities requested by the user (e.g., a restaurant, restroom), the individual matching score for the auxiliary facilities requirement can be set to zero, and so on. Then, a weighted calculation can be performed to determine the comprehensive matching score. The charging management platform 111 can sort the charging devices 160 among the selected charging stations 140 based on the comprehensive matching score. Then, based on the sorting results, it can select a predetermined number of charging devices 160 from the top-ranked charging stations 140 as candidate charging stations. Here, one or more charging devices 160 can be selected from each candidate charging station for users or electric vehicles 130 to choose from.

[0063] In embodiments of this disclosure, as shown in signaling flow 200, the charging management platform 111 can generate (205) at least one candidate reservation scheme based on the charging equipment 160 in the at least one candidate charging station. Each candidate reservation scheme includes at least vehicle information of the electric vehicle 130, equipment information of the charging equipment 160, and time information indicating the charging period. The vehicle information may include the license plate number, vehicle identification number (VIN), model, color, etc. of the electric vehicle 130. The equipment information of the charging equipment 160 may include, but is not limited to, the equipment number, equipment serial number, equipment model, etc. of the charging equipment 160, and the equipment information is used to identify the charging equipment 160. It is understood that the candidate reservation scheme is not limited to including the above information, and may also include other information, such as required time, distance, charging cost, auxiliary equipment, etc.

[0064] In embodiments of this disclosure, the charging management platform 111 may, in response to receiving a selection instruction for a target reservation scheme among at least one candidate reservation scheme, send a charging reservation request to the target charging station (e.g., the control device 150 of the target charging station) or the target charging device corresponding to the target reservation scheme, in order to request that the target charging device be locked before the charging period indicated by the target reservation scheme.

[0065] In some embodiments, as shown in signaling flow 200, the charging management platform 111 may send (206) at least one candidate reservation scheme to the electric vehicle 130, and the electric vehicle 130 may present the received (207) at least one candidate reservation scheme. The user may select a target reservation scheme from the at least one candidate reservation scheme according to actual needs, and the electric vehicle 130 may send (208) a selection instruction to the charging management platform 111 in response to the selection of the target reservation scheme. The charging management platform 111 receives (209) the selection instruction for the target reservation scheme from the electric vehicle 130, and the charging management platform 111 may send a charging reservation request to the target charging station or target charging equipment corresponding to the target reservation scheme to request that the target charging equipment be locked before the charging period indicated by the target reservation scheme.

[0066] In some embodiments, the charging management platform 111 may also send the at least one candidate reservation scheme to the terminal device 120 associated with the charging vehicle 130 (e.g., the owner's terminal device, the driver's terminal device, or the terminal device that sent the charging reservation request). The charging management platform 111 can receive a selection instruction for a target reservation scheme from the terminal device 120. Then, based on the selection instruction, it sends a charging reservation request to the target charging station or target charging device corresponding to the target reservation scheme to request that the target charging device be locked before the charging period indicated by the target reservation scheme.

[0067] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, the charging management platform 111 can generate at least one candidate reservation scheme 305 based on the charging equipment 160 in the at least one candidate charging station. Then, the at least one candidate reservation scheme 305 can be provided to the demand access layer 310, which sends the at least one candidate reservation scheme to electric vehicle 130-1, electric vehicle 130-2, or terminal device 120. The demand access layer 310 can also receive selection instructions for target reservation schemes from electric vehicle 130-1, electric vehicle 130-2, or terminal device 120. Thus, through interaction between the demand access layer 310 and electric vehicle 130 or terminal device 120, multiple factors indicating charging demand (i.e., charging reference information) can be captured. Based on these factors, the charging equipment 160 in the candidate charging station can be determined, a suitable candidate reservation scheme can be generated, and the candidate reservation scheme can be fed back to electric vehicle 130 or terminal device 120.

[0068] In some embodiments, in response to receiving a successful reservation notification from a target charging station or target charging device, the charging management platform 111 sends a route planning scheme to the target charging station to the electric vehicle 130 or a terminal device 120 associated with the electric vehicle 130. The route planning scheme may include a planned route from the current location of the electric vehicle 130 to the target charging station, or it may include a predicted journey and a planned route from a location in the predicted journey to the target charging station.

[0069] In embodiments of this disclosure, as shown in signaling flow 200, the charging management platform 111 can send (210) a charging reservation request to the control device 150 of the target charging station, and the control device 150 receives (211) the charging reservation request for the charging device 160 in the charging station 140. The charging reservation request includes a target reservation scheme, which at least includes device information of the target charging device, vehicle information of the target electric vehicle 130, and time information indicating the charging period. Based on the time information and device information, the control device 150 can lock (212) the target charging device before the charging period using a locking device.

[0070] The locking device can take many forms and be deployed in various locations. In one example, each charging device 160 of the charging station 140 has a corresponding charging space. The locking device includes a first locking device, which is installed in the charging space and can prevent vehicles from entering the charging space. For example, the first locking device can include a ground lock, barrier, or fence installed in the charging space. In response to receiving a charging reservation request, the control device 150 controls the first locking device located in the charging space corresponding to the target charging device to switch to a locked state before the charging period to prevent vehicles from entering the charging space. In this way, the charging space can be prevented from being mistakenly occupied, and the target charging device can be effectively prevented from being occupied without interfering with other charging spaces.

[0071] In another example, a second locking device is provided at the entrance of charging station 140. This second locking device may include a barrier or gate at the entrance of charging station 140. Control device 140 can control the second locking device to intercept unauthorized vehicles. Of course, the above locking devices are merely exemplary, and an appropriate locking device can be selected to lock the target charging device according to actual needs. For example, the locking device could also be a locking device of the charging device 160 itself, which can lock the charging terminal (e.g., charging gun) of the charging device 160, or the charging device 160 can be locked at the software level to restrict the charging device 160 from performing charging operations.

[0072] As shown in signaling flow 200, in response to detecting a vehicle arriving at charging station 140 during a charging period, control device 150 acquires (213) vehicle information. Control device 150 can perform reservation charging authentication based on the vehicle information to determine whether the currently acquired vehicle information matches the vehicle information corresponding to the charging reservation request. If it is determined that the acquired vehicle information matches the vehicle information included in the target reservation scheme, the locking device is released (214) from the target charging equipment. The vehicle information here may include, but is not limited to, the vehicle's license plate number, vehicle identification number, vehicle model, color, etc. For example, the control device can acquire images of the vehicle through an image acquisition device, determine the vehicle's color by performing color recognition on the image, determine the vehicle by performing object detection on the image, extract the license plate number from the image by performing optical symbol recognition (OCR), etc.

[0073] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, Figure 4A flowchart of a charging control process 400 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Process 400 can be implemented at a control device 150. At block 401 of process 400, the control device 150 receives a charging reservation request and acquires vehicle information, device information, and time information. At block 402, based on the time information and device information, the control device 150 locks a target charging device using a locking device before the charging period. At block 403, in response to detecting that a vehicle has arrived at a predetermined location of the charging station 140 during the charging period, the control device 150 acquires an image of the vehicle using an image acquisition device at the predetermined location. At block 404, based on the acquired image, the control device 150 determines vehicle information, such as performing OCR recognition on the image to determine the vehicle's license plate number. At block 405, the control device 150 determines whether the acquired vehicle information matches the vehicle information in the target reservation scheme, such as determining whether the license plate number matches. If the vehicle information (e.g., license plate number) is determined to match at block 405, process 400 proceeds to block 406, where the control device 150 controls the locking device to release the lock on the target charging device. If it is determined in box 405 that the vehicle information (e.g., license plate number) does not match, then process 400 proceeds to box 407, and the control device 150 can control the locking device to remain locked, preventing unreserved vehicles from using the target charging equipment and protecting the rights of the electric vehicles 130 that have reserved charging.

[0074] Regarding the unlocking of the target charging equipment by the locking device, in one example, if the control device 150 determines that the acquired vehicle information matches the vehicle information included in the target reservation plan, it can control the first locking device (e.g., a ground lock, barrier, or fence) to switch to an unlocked state, allowing the vehicle to enter the charging space corresponding to the target charging equipment. In another example, the control device 150 can also control the second locking device (e.g., a barrier or fence) located at the entrance of the charging station to switch to an unlocked state, allowing the vehicle to enter the charging station. Of course, the control device 150 can also control the locking device to unlock the charging terminal of the target charging equipment, or to unlock the control system of the target charging equipment.

[0075] For example, cameras can be installed at the entrance of charging station 140 or at each charging parking space to capture images of vehicles. Control device 150 determines vehicle information such as license plate number, model, and color based on image recognition. Then, control device 150 compares the identified license plate number with the license plate number in the target reservation plan. If the license plate numbers match, control device 150 can unlock the parking space at the target charging station to allow the reserved electric vehicle 130 to enter the charging space.

[0076] In some embodiments, if it is determined that no electric vehicle for which a charging request is being made is detected at the end of the charging period, the control device 150 can unlock the target charging device by a locking device and send a cancellation request to the charging management platform 111 to request the cancellation of the charging reservation for the target charging device. For example, the control device 150 can unlock the charging space of the target charging device by locking devices such as ground locks, barriers, or railings. Thus, if the electric vehicle 130 that made the charging reservation fails to fulfill its reservation, the charging reservation for the target charging device can be cancelled, and the target charging device can be switched to a non-reservation state, allowing other electric vehicles to reserve or use the target charging device.

[0077] As shown in signaling flow 200, the charging management platform 111 sends a (215) charging reservation request to the charging device 160, and the charging device 160 receives the charging reservation request for itself from the charging management platform 11. The charging reservation request includes a target reservation scheme, which includes at least the vehicle information of the electric vehicle to which the reservation request is targeted and the time information indicating the charging period. Alternatively or additionally, the charging device 160 may, in response to receiving a charging reservation request for itself, lock its own usage rights through the control system.

[0078] In embodiments of this disclosure, as shown in signaling flow 200, if electric vehicle 130 is connected to the charging terminal of charging device 160 during the charging period indicated by the time information, electric vehicle 130 can send (217) vehicle information to charging device 160, and charging device 160 receives (218) vehicle information from electric vehicle 130. If charging device 160 determines that the acquired vehicle information matches the vehicle information in the target reservation plan, it performs (219) charging operation on electric vehicle 130 using the charging terminal. In some embodiments, if charging device 160 determines that the acquired vehicle information does not match the vehicle information in the target reservation plan, it presents a prompt message to indicate that the charging device has been reserved.

[0079] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5A flowchart of a process 500 for charging control according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Process 500 can be implemented at a charging device 160. At block 501, the charging device 160 receives a charging reservation request from a charging management platform 111. The charging reservation request may include time information, device information, and vehicle information, which may include the vehicle identification number (VIN) of the electric vehicle for which charging is reserved. At block 502, the charging terminal of the charging device 160 is connected to the charging port of the electric vehicle 130. At block 503, the telematics controller (TCU) of the charging device 160 interacts with the battery management system (BMS) of the electric vehicle 130, and the TCU obtains the vehicle information (e.g., VIN) of the electric vehicle 130 from the BMS. At block 504, the charging device 160 determines whether the vehicle information obtained from the electric vehicle 130 matches the vehicle information in the target reservation scheme, for example, determining whether the VIN obtained from the electric vehicle 130 matches the VIN in the target reservation scheme. If the vehicle information is determined to match at box 504, for example, if the VIN matches, then process 500 proceeds to box 505. At box 505, the charging device 160 performs a charging operation on the electric vehicle 130. If the vehicle information is determined not to match at box 504, then process 500 proceeds to box 506. At box 506, the charging device 160 may display a prompt message, for example, on a display screen, to indicate that the charging device 160 has been reserved.

[0080] In some embodiments, if the charging device 160 determines that no electric vehicle 130 for which a charging request was made has been detected at the end of the charging period, it sends a cancellation request to the charging management platform 111 to request the cancellation of the charging reservation for the charging device 160. Thus, if the electric vehicle 130 fails to fulfill its charging reservation, the charging reservation for the charging device 160 can be cancelled, and the charging device 160 can be switched to a non-reservation state, allowing other electric vehicles to reserve or use the charging device 160.

[0081] It is understood that signaling flow 200 describes an improved embodiment of this disclosure using the example of the charging management platform 111 not being part of the server device 110 and the charging reservation being triggered by the electric vehicle 130. However, in practical applications, the charging management platform 111 may not be deployed on the terminal device 120, electric vehicle 130, control device 150, or other remote devices. The charging reservation may also be initiated by the terminal device 120 or other devices.

[0082] In summary, the embodiments of this disclosure can accurately recommend charging stations and charging equipment to users. After a user selects a charging station and charging equipment, the reserved charging equipment can be locked during the scheduled charging time, preventing the equipment from being occupied and improving the charging fulfillment rate. This not only improves the flexibility, accuracy, and matching degree of charging services but also enhances charging efficiency and optimizes the process and experience of charging services at public charging stations.

[0083] Example processes, apparatus and equipment

[0084] Figure 6 A flowchart of a process 600 for charging control according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The process 600 can be implemented in a charging management platform 111.

[0085] In box 610, the charging management platform 111 determines the charging needs of the electric vehicle based on the charging reference information of the electric vehicle. The charging needs at least indicate the electric vehicle's requirements for charging location and / or charging time.

[0086] In box 620, the charging management platform 111 identifies charging equipment in at least one candidate charging station that matches the charging demand.

[0087] In box 630, the charging management platform 111 generates at least one candidate reservation scheme based on the charging equipment in at least one candidate charging station. Each candidate reservation scheme includes at least the vehicle information of the electric vehicle, the equipment information of the charging equipment, and the time information indicating the charging period.

[0088] In box 640, in response to receiving a selection instruction for a target reservation scheme among at least one candidate reservation scheme, the charging management platform 111 sends a charging reservation request to the target charging station or target charging equipment corresponding to the target reservation scheme, requesting that the target charging equipment be locked before the charging period indicated by the target reservation scheme.

[0089] In some embodiments, determining the charging needs of an electric vehicle includes: determining the predicted trip and / or predicted parking location of the electric vehicle based on charging reference information of the electric vehicle; and determining the charging needs of the electric vehicle based on the predicted trip and / or predicted parking location of the charging vehicle.

[0090] In some embodiments, determining the charging device in at least one candidate charging station that matches the charging demand includes: determining charging selection requirements and ranking requirements based on the charging demand; determining the charging device in one or more charging stations that meets the charging selection requirements; determining the matching degree between the charging device in one or more charging stations and the charging demand based on the ranking requirements to obtain a ranking result of one or more charging stations according to the matching degree; and selecting the charging device in at least one candidate charging station from the charging devices in one or more charging stations based on the ranking result.

[0091] In some embodiments, the charging selection requirements include at least one of the following: a limitation requirement on the state of charge of the charging equipment in the charging station, or a requirement indicating whether the charging equipment in the charging station supports charging reservations.

[0092] In some embodiments, the sorting requirements include at least one of the following: the time required for the electric vehicle to perform a charging operation at the charging equipment in the charging station, the distance between the electric vehicle and the charging station, the charging cost of charging at the charging station, the compatibility requirements between the electric vehicle and the charging equipment in the charging station, or the requirements for auxiliary facilities in the charging station.

[0093] In some embodiments, in response to receiving a selection of a target reservation scheme from at least one candidate reservation scheme, sending a charging reservation request to a target charging station or target charging device corresponding to the target reservation scheme includes: sending at least one candidate reservation scheme to an electric vehicle or a terminal device associated with the electric vehicle; receiving a selection instruction for the target reservation scheme from the electric vehicle or the terminal device; and, based on the selection instruction, sending a charging reservation request to the target charging station or target charging device corresponding to the target reservation scheme to request that the target charging device be locked before the charging period indicated by the target reservation scheme.

[0094] In some embodiments, process 600 further includes: in response to receiving a notification of successful reservation from the target charging station or target charging device, sending a route planning scheme to the target charging station to the electric vehicle or a terminal device associated with the electric vehicle.

[0095] Figure 7 A flowchart of a process 700 for charging control according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The process 700 can be implemented in a control device 150 of a charging station 140.

[0096] In box 710, control device 150 receives a charging reservation request for a charging device in a charging station. The charging reservation request includes a target reservation plan, which includes at least the device information of the target charging device, the vehicle information of the electric vehicle to which the charging reservation request is made, and the time information indicating the charging period.

[0097] In frame 720, control device 150 locks the target charging device using a locking device before the charging period, based on time information and device information.

[0098] In box 730, control device 150 obtains vehicle information in response to detecting that a vehicle has arrived at a charging station during a charging period.

[0099] In box 740, if the control device 150 determines that the acquired vehicle information matches the vehicle information contained in the target reservation scheme, it unlocks the locking device from the target charging device.

[0100] In some embodiments, obtaining vehicle information includes: in response to detecting that the vehicle has arrived at a predetermined location of the charging station during a charging period, acquiring an image of the vehicle through an image acquisition device at the predetermined location; and determining vehicle information based on the acquired image.

[0101] In some embodiments, the unlocking device for locking the target charging device includes: if it is determined that the acquired vehicle information matches the vehicle information contained in the target reservation scheme, controlling a first locking device located at the charging parking space corresponding to the target charging device to switch to an unlocked state so that the vehicle can enter the target charging parking space; and / or controlling a second locking device located at the entrance of the charging station to switch to an unlocked state so that the vehicle can enter the charging station.

[0102] In some embodiments, process 700 further includes: if it is determined that no electric vehicle for which the charging request is targeted is detected at the end of the charging period, unlocking the locking device from the target charging device; and / or sending a cancellation request to the charging management platform to request the cancellation of the charging reservation for the target charging device.

[0103] Figure 8 A flowchart of a process 800 for charging control according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The process 800 can be implemented in a charging device 160.

[0104] In box 810, charging device 160 receives a charging reservation request for the charging device. The charging reservation request includes a target reservation plan, which includes at least vehicle information of the electric vehicle to which the reservation request is made and time information indicating the charging period.

[0105] In box 820, the charging device 160, in response to detecting that an electric vehicle is connected to the charging terminal of the charging device during the charging period indicated by the time information, obtains vehicle information of the electric vehicle.

[0106] In box 830, if it is determined that the acquired vehicle information matches the vehicle information in the target reservation plan, the charging device 160 performs a charging operation on the electric vehicle using the charging terminal.

[0107] In some embodiments, process 800 further includes: if it is determined that the acquired vehicle information does not match the vehicle information in the target reservation plan, presenting a prompt message to indicate that the charging device has been reserved.

[0108] In some embodiments, process 800 further includes: if it is determined that no electric vehicle for which the charging request is targeted is detected at the end of the charging period, sending a cancellation request to the charging management platform to request the cancellation of the charging reservation for the charging equipment.

[0109] Embodiments of this disclosure also provide corresponding apparatus for implementing the above methods or processes. Figure 9 A schematic structural block diagram of a charging control device 900 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The device 900 may be implemented in or included in a charging management platform 111. Various modules / components in the device 900 may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof.

[0110] like Figure 9 As shown, the device 900 includes a first determining module 910, a second determining module 920, a generating module 930, and a sending module 940. The first determining module 910 is configured to determine the charging needs of the electric vehicle based on charging reference information of the electric vehicle, wherein the charging needs at least indicate the electric vehicle's requirements for a charging location and charging time period. The second determining module 920 is configured to determine the charging equipment in at least one candidate charging station that matches the charging needs. The generating module 930 is configured to generate at least one candidate reservation scheme based on the charging equipment in the at least one candidate charging station, each candidate reservation scheme including at least vehicle information of the electric vehicle, equipment information of the charging equipment, and time information indicating the charging time period. The sending module 940 is configured to, in response to receiving a selection instruction for a target reservation scheme among the at least one candidate reservation scheme, send a charging reservation request to the target charging station or target charging equipment corresponding to the target reservation scheme, requesting that the target charging equipment be locked before the charging time period indicated by the target reservation scheme.

[0111] In some embodiments, the first determining module 910 is further configured to: determine the predicted trip and / or predicted parking location of the electric vehicle based on the charging reference information of the electric vehicle; and determine the charging demand of the electric vehicle based on the predicted trip and / or predicted parking location of the charging vehicle.

[0112] In some embodiments, the second determining module 920 is further configured to: determine charging selection requirements and sorting requirements based on charging demand; determine charging devices in one or more charging stations that meet the charging selection requirements; determine the matching degree between the charging devices in one or more charging stations and the charging demand based on the sorting requirements, so as to obtain a sorting result of one or more charging stations according to the matching degree; and select at least one charging device from the charging devices in one or more charging stations based on the sorting result.

[0113] In some embodiments, the charging selection requirements include at least one of the following: a limitation requirement on the state of charge of the charging equipment in the charging station, or a requirement indicating whether the charging equipment in the charging station supports charging reservations.

[0114] In some embodiments, the sorting requirements include at least one of the following: the time required for the electric vehicle to perform a charging operation at the charging equipment in the charging station, the distance between the electric vehicle and the charging station, the charging cost of charging at the charging station, the compatibility requirements between the electric vehicle and the charging equipment in the charging station, or the requirements for auxiliary facilities in the charging station.

[0115] In some embodiments, the sending module 940 is further configured to: send at least one candidate reservation scheme to the electric vehicle or a terminal device associated with the electric vehicle; receive a selection instruction for a target reservation scheme from the electric vehicle or the terminal device; and based on the selection instruction, send a charging reservation request to the target charging station or target charging device corresponding to the target reservation scheme to request that the target charging device be locked before the charging period indicated by the target reservation scheme.

[0116] In some embodiments, the sending module 940 is further configured to: in response to receiving a notification of successful reservation from the target charging station or the target charging device, send a route planning scheme to the target charging station to the electric vehicle or the terminal device associated with the electric vehicle.

[0117] Figure 10 A schematic structural block diagram of a charging control device 1000 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The device 1000 may be implemented in or included in a control device 150. Various modules / components in the device 1000 may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof.

[0118] like Figure 10As shown, the device 1000 includes a first receiving module 1010, a locking module 1020, a first acquiring module 1030, and an unlocking module 1040. The first receiving module 1010 is configured to receive a charging reservation request for a charging device in a charging station. The charging reservation request includes a target reservation scheme, which at least includes device information of the target charging device, vehicle information of the electric vehicle, and time information indicating the charging period. The locking module 1020 is configured to lock the target charging device using a locking device before the charging period based on the time information and device information. The first acquiring module 1030 is configured to acquire vehicle information in response to detecting a vehicle arriving at the charging station during the charging period. The unlocking module 1040 is configured to release the locking device from the target charging device if it is determined that the acquired vehicle information matches the vehicle information included in the target reservation scheme.

[0119] In some embodiments, the first acquisition module 1030 is further configured to: in response to detecting that a vehicle has arrived at a predetermined location of a charging station during a charging period, acquire an image of the vehicle through an image acquisition device at the predetermined location; and determine vehicle information based on the acquired image.

[0120] In some embodiments, the unlocking module 1040 is further configured to: if it is determined that the acquired vehicle information matches the vehicle information contained in the target reservation scheme, control the first locking device located at the charging space corresponding to the target charging equipment to switch to an unlocked state so that the vehicle can enter the target charging space; and / or control the second locking device located at the entrance of the charging station to switch to an unlocked state so that the vehicle can enter the charging station.

[0121] In some embodiments, the device 1000 further includes: a first cancellation module configured to, if it is determined that no electric vehicle for which the charging request is targeted is detected at the end of the charging period, unlock the locking device from the target charging device; and / or send a cancellation request to the charging management platform to request the cancellation of the charging reservation for the target charging device.

[0122] Figure 11 A schematic structural block diagram of a charging control device 1100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The device 1100 may be implemented in or included in a charging device 160. Various modules / components in the device 1100 may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof.

[0123] like Figure 11As shown, the device 1100 includes a second receiving module 1110, a second acquiring module 1120, and a charging module 1130. The second receiving module 1110 is configured to receive a charging reservation request for a charging device. The charging reservation request includes a target reservation scheme, which at least includes vehicle information of the electric vehicle for which the reservation request is made and time information indicating a charging period. The second acquiring module 1120 is configured to acquire the vehicle information of the electric vehicle in response to detecting that the electric vehicle is connected to the charging terminal of the charging device during the charging period indicated by the time information. The charging module 1130 is configured to perform a charging operation on the electric vehicle using the charging terminal if it is determined that the acquired vehicle information matches the vehicle information in the target reservation scheme.

[0124] In some embodiments, the device 1100 further includes a presentation module configured to present a prompt message if it is determined that the acquired vehicle information does not match the vehicle information in the target reservation plan, so as to indicate that the charging device has been reserved.

[0125] In some embodiments, the device 1100 further includes a second cancellation module configured to send a cancellation request to the charging management platform if it is determined that no electric vehicle for which the charging request is targeted is detected at the end of the charging period, in order to request the cancellation of the charging reservation for the charging equipment.

[0126] The units and / or modules included in devices 900, 1000, and 1100 can be implemented in various ways, including software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, one or more units and / or modules can be implemented using software and / or firmware, such as machine-executable instructions stored on a storage medium. In addition to or as an alternative to machine-executable instructions, some or all of the units and / or modules in devices 900, 1000, and 1100 can be implemented at least partially by one or more hardware logic components. By way of example and not limitation, exemplary types of hardware logic components that can be used include field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application-specific standard products (ASSPs), systems-on-chips (SoCs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), and so on.

[0127] Figure 12 A block diagram of an electronic device 1200 in which one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented is shown. It should be understood that... Figure 12 The electronic device 1200 shown is merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the functionality and scope of the embodiments described herein. Figure 12 The illustrated electronic device 1200 may include or be implemented as Figure 1 Charging management platform 111, control equipment 150, charging equipment 160, Figure 9Device 900, Figure 10 Device 1000 or Figure 11 Device 1100.

[0128] like Figure 12 As shown, electronic device 1200 is in the form of a general-purpose electronic device. Components of electronic device 1200 may include, but are not limited to, one or more processors or processing units 1210, memory 1220, storage device 1230, one or more communication units 1240, one or more input devices 1250, and one or more output devices 1260. Processing unit 1210 may be a physical or virtual processor and is capable of performing various processes according to programs stored in memory 1220. In a multiprocessor system, multiple processing units execute computer-executable instructions in parallel to improve the parallel processing capability of electronic device 1200.

[0129] Electronic device 1200 typically includes multiple computer storage media. Such media can be any accessible media that is accessible to electronic device 1200, including but not limited to volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media. Memory 1220 can be volatile memory (e.g., registers, cache, random access memory (RAM)), non-volatile memory (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory), or some combination thereof. Storage device 1230 can be removable or non-removable media and can include machine-readable media, such as flash drives, disks, or any other media that can be used to store information and / or data and can be accessed within electronic device 1200.

[0130] Electronic device 1200 may further include additional removable / non-removable, volatile / non-volatile storage media. Although not explicitly stated... Figure 12 As shown, disk drives for reading from or writing to removable, non-volatile disks (e.g., "floppy disks") and optical disk drives for reading from or writing to removable, non-volatile optical disks can be provided. In these cases, each drive can be connected to a bus (not shown) via one or more data media interfaces. Memory 1220 may include computer program product 1225 having one or more program modules configured to perform various methods or actions of various embodiments of this disclosure.

[0131] The communication unit 1240 enables communication with other electronic devices via a communication medium. Additionally, the functionality of the components of the electronic device 1200 can be implemented using a single computing cluster or multiple computing machines capable of communicating via communication connections. Therefore, the electronic device 1200 can operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more other servers, network personal computers (PCs), or another network node.

[0132] Input device 1250 can be one or more input devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, trackball, etc. Output device 1260 can be one or more output devices, such as a monitor, speaker, printer, etc. Electronic device 1200 can also communicate with one or more external devices (not shown) via communication unit 1240 as needed. These external devices include storage devices, display devices, etc., and can communicate with one or more devices that enable user interaction with electronic device 1200, or with any device that enables electronic device 1200 to communicate with one or more other electronic devices (e.g., network card, modem, etc.). Such communication can be performed via input / output (I / O) interface (not shown).

[0133] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores computer-executable instructions thereon, wherein the computer-executable instructions are executed by a processor to implement the methods described above. According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, a computer program product is also provided, which is tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and includes computer-executable instructions, which are executed by a processor to implement the methods described above.

[0134] Various aspects of this disclosure are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatuses, devices, and computer program products implemented according to this disclosure. It should be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0135] These computer-readable program instructions can be provided to a processing unit of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine such that, when executed by the processing unit of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, they create means for implementing the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart and / or block diagram. These computer-readable program instructions can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that causes a computer, programmable data processing apparatus, and / or other device to operate in a particular manner. Thus, the computer-readable medium storing the instructions comprises an article of manufacture that includes instructions for implementing aspects of the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0136] Computer-readable program instructions can be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby causing the instructions that execute on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to perform the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes of a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0137] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this disclosure. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of an instruction, which contains one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutive blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, may be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0138] Various implementations of this disclosure have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed implementations. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described implementations. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical applications, or improvements to technology in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the various implementations disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method for charging control, characterized in that, The method is applied to a charging management platform, including: Based on the charging reference information of the electric vehicle, the charging requirements of the electric vehicle are determined, and the charging requirements at least indicate the electric vehicle's requirements for charging location and / or charging time period. Identify charging equipment in at least one candidate charging station that matches the charging demand; Based on the charging equipment in the at least one candidate charging station, at least one candidate reservation plan is generated, each candidate reservation plan including at least the vehicle information of the electric vehicle, the equipment information of the charging equipment, and the time information indicating the charging period; and In response to receiving a selection instruction for a target reservation scheme among the at least one candidate reservation schemes, a charging reservation request is sent to the target charging station or target charging device corresponding to the target reservation scheme to request that the target charging device be locked before the charging period indicated by the target reservation scheme.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determining the charging requirements of the electric vehicle includes: Based on the charging reference information of the electric vehicle, determine the predicted range and / or predicted parking location of the electric vehicle; and The charging needs of the electric vehicle are determined based on the predicted travel distance and / or predicted parking location of the charging vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Identifying charging equipment in at least one candidate charging station that matches the charging demand includes: Based on the aforementioned charging requirements, the charging selection and sorting requirements are determined; Identify charging equipment in one or more charging stations that meet the charging selection requirements; Based on the sorting requirements, the matching degree between the charging equipment in the one or more charging stations and the charging demand is determined to obtain a sorting result of the one or more charging stations according to the matching degree; and Based on the sorting results, at least one candidate charging station is selected from the charging equipment in the one or more charging stations.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The charging selection requirements include at least one of the following: The limitations on the state of charge of charging equipment in charging stations, or Indicate whether the charging equipment in the charging station supports charging reservation requirements.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The sorting requirements include at least one of the following: The time required for the electric vehicle to perform a charging operation at the charging equipment in the charging station. The distance between the electric vehicle and the charging station The charging cost of charging at the charging station. The compatibility requirements between the electric vehicle and the charging equipment in the charging station, or Requirements for auxiliary facilities in charging stations.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In response to receiving a selection of a target reservation scheme from the at least one candidate reservation schemes, sending a charging reservation request to the target charging station or target charging equipment corresponding to the target reservation scheme includes: Send the at least one candidate reservation scheme to the electric vehicle or a terminal device associated with the electric vehicle; Receive a selection instruction for the target reservation scheme from the electric vehicle or the terminal device; and Based on the selection instruction, a charging reservation request is sent to the target charging station or target charging device corresponding to the target reservation scheme, requesting that the target charging device be locked before the charging period indicated by the target reservation scheme.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: In response to receiving a successful reservation notification from the target charging station or the target charging device, a route planning scheme pointing to the target charging station is sent to the electric vehicle or the terminal device associated with the electric vehicle.

8. A method for charging control, characterized in that, The method is applied to the control equipment of a charging station, including: Receive a charging reservation request for charging equipment in a charging station. The charging reservation request includes a target reservation plan, which includes at least the equipment information of the target charging equipment, the vehicle information of the target electric vehicle, and the time information indicating the charging period. Based on the time information and the device information, the target charging device is locked using a locking device before the charging period; In response to detecting that a vehicle has arrived at the charging station during the charging period, vehicle information of the vehicle is obtained; and If it is determined that the acquired vehicle information matches the vehicle information contained in the target reservation scheme, the locking device is released from locking the target charging device.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Obtaining the vehicle information of the vehicle includes: In response to detecting that a vehicle has arrived at a predetermined location of the charging station during the charging period, an image of the vehicle is acquired by an image acquisition device at the predetermined location; and Based on the acquired images, the vehicle information of the vehicle is determined.

10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Unlocking the target charging device by the locking device includes: If it is determined that the obtained vehicle information matches the vehicle information contained in the target reservation plan, Control the first locking device located in the charging space corresponding to the target charging equipment to switch to the unlocked state, so that the vehicle can enter the target charging space; and / or Control the second locking device located at the entrance of the charging station to switch to the unlocked state so that the vehicle can enter the charging station.

11. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Also includes: If it is determined that no electric vehicle for which the charging request was made was detected at the end of the charging period, Release the locking device from locking the target charging device; and / or Send a cancellation request to the charging management platform to request the cancellation of the charging reservation for the target charging device.

12. A method for charging control, characterized in that, The method is applied to a charging device, including: Receive a charging reservation request for the charging equipment, the charging reservation request including a target reservation plan, the target reservation plan including at least vehicle information of the electric vehicle to which the reservation request is targeted and time information indicating the charging period; In response to detecting that an electric vehicle is connected to the charging terminal of the charging equipment during the charging period indicated by the time information, vehicle information of the electric vehicle is acquired; and If it is determined that the obtained vehicle information matches the vehicle information in the target reservation plan, the electric vehicle is charged using the charging terminal.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, Also includes: If it is determined that the obtained vehicle information does not match the vehicle information in the target reservation plan, a prompt message will be displayed to indicate that the charging equipment has been reserved.

14. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, Also includes: If it is determined that no electric vehicle for which the charging request is targeted is detected at the end of the charging period, a cancellation request is sent to the charging management platform to request the cancellation of the charging reservation for the charging equipment.

15. A device for charging control, characterized in that, include: The first determining module is configured to determine the charging requirements of the electric vehicle based on the charging reference information of the electric vehicle, wherein the charging requirements at least indicate the electric vehicle's requirements for charging location and charging time period. The second determining module is configured to determine the charging equipment in at least one candidate charging station that matches the charging demand; The generation module is configured to generate at least one candidate reservation scheme based on the charging equipment in the at least one candidate charging station. Each candidate reservation scheme includes at least the vehicle information of the electric vehicle, the equipment information of the charging equipment, and the time information indicating the charging period. as well as The sending module is configured to, in response to receiving a selection instruction for a target reservation scheme among the at least one candidate reservation schemes, send a charging reservation request to the target charging station or target charging device corresponding to the target reservation scheme, in order to request that the target charging device be locked before the charging period indicated by the target reservation scheme.

16. A device for charging control, characterized in that, include: The first receiving module is configured to receive a charging reservation request for a charging device in the charging station. The charging reservation request includes a target reservation scheme, which includes at least the device information of the target charging device, the vehicle information of the target electric vehicle, and the time information indicating the charging period. A locking module is configured to lock the target charging device using a locking device before the charging period based on the time information and the device information. The first acquisition module is configured to acquire vehicle information of the vehicle in response to detecting that the vehicle has arrived at the charging station during the charging period. as well as The unlocking module is configured to release the locking device from the target charging device when it is determined that the acquired vehicle information matches the vehicle information contained in the target reservation scheme.

17. A device for charging control, characterized in that, include: The second receiving module is configured to receive a charging reservation request for the charging device. The charging reservation request includes a target reservation scheme, which includes at least vehicle information of the electric vehicle to which the reservation request is targeted and time information indicating the charging period. The second acquisition module is configured to acquire vehicle information of the electric vehicle in response to detecting that the electric vehicle is connected to the charging terminal of the charging device during the charging period indicated by the time information. as well as The charging module is configured to perform a charging operation on the electric vehicle using the charging terminal when it is determined that the acquired vehicle information matches the vehicle information in the target reservation plan.

18. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: At least one processing unit; as well as At least one memory coupled to the at least one processing unit and storing instructions for execution by the at least one processing unit, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processing unit, causing the electronic device to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, or to perform the method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, or to perform the method according to any one of claims 12 to 14.

19. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, The computer program can be executed by a processor to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, or the method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, or the method according to any one of claims 12 to 14.

20. A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions, characterized in that, When executed by a processor, the computer-executable instructions implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, or the method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, or the method according to any one of claims 12 to 14.

Images