Method and control device for controlling automatic access to the vehicle charging cable of an electrically chargeable vehicle, as well as electrically chargeable vehicle

Abstract

Method for providing automatic access to a storage compartment (10, 11, 12) of a vehicle charging cable (3) of an electrically chargeable vehicle (1), wherein, upon detection that the vehicle (1) is at a charging station (2), a determination (S1) is made as to whether access to the storage compartment (10, 11, 12) of the vehicle charging cable (3) is required, and a further determination (S2) is made as to whether access to the storage compartment (10, 11, 12) should be provided or suppressed.

Description

The invention relates to a method for controlling automatic access to the vehicle charging cable of an electrically chargeable vehicle, an electrically chargeable vehicle and a corresponding control device. Electric or hybrid vehicles need to be charged from time to time. This is done, for example, using a charging cable that is either permanently attached to a charging station or a charging cable carried in the vehicle. The charging cable carried in the vehicle is often stored in the trunk, but it can also be stored behind the driver's seat or in the front of the vehicle. Storing the charging cable in one of these compartments after charging involves unplugging the cable, opening the compartment, and placing the cable inside. This is often cumbersome. It is an object of this invention to provide a method, a control device, and a vehicle that simplifies the provision of access to the charging cable. This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims. A method is proposed for providing automatic access to a storage area for a vehicle charging cable of an electrically chargeable vehicle, wherein, upon detection that the vehicle is at a charging station, a determination is made as to whether access to the storage area of ​​the vehicle charging cable is required, and furthermore a determination is made as to whether access to the storage area should be provided or suppressed. An electrically rechargeable vehicle is defined here as a vehicle whose electric drive unit, e.g., a battery, can be recharged using a charging cable. Examples of such a vehicle are electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles. The designation that the vehicle is at a charging station can also mean that it is approaching a charging station where a charging process is to take place. This means that a determination can be made in advance as to whether the vehicle's charging cable is needed and should be provided, or not. For this purpose, communication or detection devices located inside or outside the vehicle, or a combination thereof, can be used. To charge the vehicle, it can be connected to a charging station, such as a charging column, using the charging cable. There are two basic possibilities. On the one hand, the charging cable may be permanently attached to the charging station, which is often the case with DC charging stations. Such a charging cable is referred to below as a station charging cable. On the other hand, it may be necessary to use a charging cable already installed in the vehicle, referred to below as a vehicle charging cable. This can be the case if the intended charging station does not have a permanently attached station charging cable, or if the station charging cable is not compatible with the vehicle's charging port. In many cases, it's necessary to store the vehicle charging cable in the vehicle for charging purposes, i.e., for connecting and disconnecting the charging plug. This is usually done in a storage compartment in the vehicle's interior, such as the trunk, the front, or behind the driver's seat. There, it can be stored in a box or bag. However, since the vehicle doesn't yet automatically provide access to the charging cable storage compartment, situations can arise that may be inconvenient for the person handling the cable. The proposed procedure can be used both when the vehicle charging cable needs to be removed from the vehicle's storage compartment, e.g., for connection to the charging station, and when the vehicle charging cable needs to be stowed away after the charging process has finished. The proposed procedure grants access to the vehicle charging cable storage compartment when the charging cable is needed and needs to be provided. This can be achieved through existing hardware and software support in the vehicle. Furthermore, it is planned that a vehicle charging cable will be required if the charging station is a wireless charging station. For a charging station that does not have a station-specific charging cable, the vehicle's charging cable must be used to charge the vehicle. Additionally, it can be determined whether the charging plug is compatible with the charging socket on the vehicle. If the station's charging cable is incompatible with the vehicle's charging plug, the vehicle's charging cable must also be used. Furthermore, it is intended that the determination of whether access to the charging cable storage area should be provided is made by a user-defined or vehicle-specific preset, depending on the charging station's location, environmental conditions, and / or the type of charging station. Regardless of the need to provide access to the charging cable, the driver may not wish for automated provision. This might be the case, for example, if environmental conditions are adverse, such as rain, snow, cold, or even heat, etc.—conditions in which prolonged exposure of the vehicle's interior to the elements should be avoided. This can also be preset by the vehicle. Additionally, the driver may wish to specify whether or not automatic access should be provided for certain locations. Furthermore, it is provided that when access to the vehicle charging cable storage compartment is required and should be provided, this access will be automatically granted by opening a tailgate, front hatch, door, or other cover on the vehicle. This saves the driver from having to use a hand to open the compartment, for example, to press a button, or from having to stand on one foot to activate an opening sensor. It may also be possible for the system to open a container located inside the vehicle, such as a box in which the vehicle charging cable is stored. Furthermore, the system is designed so that if it detects that a station charging cable is permanently installed at the charging station, the system will prevent the vehicle charging cable from being dispensed from the storage compartment. Additionally, it can determine whether the charging plug is compatible with the charging socket on the vehicle. If so, the station charging cable can be used. If not, the system will determine that the vehicle charging cable is required. The system advantageously determines whether the charging cable is permanently attached to the charging station by identifying the type of charging station. This can be done by transmitting data about the cable's attachment method via an external service such as a cloud. Additionally or alternatively, sensors integrated into the vehicle can be used. For example, camera-based systems can identify the charging station type, such as through text recognition, scanning codes like QR or barcodes, wireless reading of information via RFID tags, or recognition of identifying features specific to the charging station type, if present. Alternatively, maps stored in the vehicle can be used. These maps can contain information about charging stations at specific locations and are thus accessible to the vehicle.Additionally or alternatively, the location of the charging station can be recorded and data stored for that location regarding the type of charging station can be queried. This can again be done via an external service such as a cloud. Additionally or alternatively, the location of the charging station can be recorded and compared with past charging sessions at the vehicle's charging station, or data on past charging sessions at other vehicles' charging stations can be received via an external service. Here, the vehicle's own history can be used to decide whether to provide the charging cable, or a so-called swarm intelligence can be used. This determines whether to provide the charging cable based on data from other vehicles that have used the same charging station and provided corresponding data.For example, if the charging station end of the charging cable has never been unplugged first at a particular position, then the cable is permanently installed and therefore a station charging cable. Furthermore, it is planned that when a charging process is completed, the system will determine whether the charging cable is permanently attached to the charging station by detecting whether the end of the cable connected to the station remains connected when the cable is unplugged. By requiring that the vehicle charging cable be disconnected from the charging station before the charging process can be ended, it is easy to determine whether the charging station has a permanently attached cable. If it is detected that the charging cable was still connected to the charging station when unplugged, it can be assumed that it is a permanently attached cable. Furthermore, a control device for providing automatic access to a storage area for a vehicle charging cable of an electrically chargeable vehicle is proposed, wherein the control device is configured to execute the described procedure. Furthermore, a vehicle with a described control unit is proposed. Furthermore, the vehicle is intended to have means for communication with an external institution for data exchange. Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, with reference to the figures in the drawing, which shows details of the invention, and from the claims. The individual features can be implemented individually or in any combination in a variant of the invention. Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing. Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle with different storage locations for a vehicle charging cable, as well as a charging cable and a charging station according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 shows a flowchart of the method according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the following figure descriptions, identical elements or functions are marked with the same reference symbols. Figure 1 shows a vehicle 1 located at a charging station 2. Also shown is a charging cable 3; 31, which can be either a vehicle charging cable 3 or a charging station charging cable 31. A charging station charging cable 31 is a charging cable that is permanently connected to the charging station 2 at one end. A vehicle charging cable 3 is a charging cable that is carried in the vehicle 1 and is usually stored in a compartment 10, 11, 12 in the interior of the vehicle 1 when not in use. In many cases, it is necessary to store the vehicle charging cable 3 in the vehicle 1 for charging, i.e., for connecting to and disconnecting from the charging socket of the charging station 2. This is usually done in a compartment 10, 11, 12 in the interior of the vehicle 1, e.g., in the trunk, in the front area, or behind the driver's seat. The storage compartment can be a rear storage compartment 10, which is accessed by opening the tailgate of the vehicle 1.The storage compartment can be a front storage compartment 11, accessible by opening a front flap or front section of the vehicle 1. Alternatively, the storage compartment can be located behind a door 12, particularly a door providing access to the driver's rear seat, accessible by opening the vehicle 1 door. Furthermore, the vehicle charging cable 3 can be additionally stored in a box or bag. The aforementioned communication for acquiring external data can be carried out via an external device 4, often referred to as a cloud. Data can be both uploaded to and received from this device, for example, to determine whether the vehicle charging cable 3 needs to be used or whether a charging station cable 31 is available. Figure 2 schematically illustrates the procedure. To determine whether automatic access to the vehicle charging cable storage compartment 4 should be provided, a first step S1 determines whether access to the storage compartment 10, 11, 12 of the vehicle charging cable 3 is required, and a second step S2 then determines whether access to the storage compartment 10, 11, 12 should be provided or suppressed. This means that, in addition to determining whether the vehicle charging cable 3 needs to be used at all, e.g., in the case of a charging station 2 without a permanently installed station charging cable 31, or in the case that the station charging cable 31 is not compatible with the charging socket on the vehicle 1, it is determined whether there are criteria that prevent the automatic provision of access. For example, the driver may have configured this function to be inactive or active only in certain situations. The process is typically implemented as a software program on a control unit or processing unit. The necessary data, such as sensor data, external data, etc., are transmitted to the control unit so that appropriate processing can take place. The vehicle 1 also advantageously has suitable communication means, for example, integrated into the control unit, for communicating with an external device in order to receive and send data externally. The proposed method simplifies and personalizes the storage of the vehicle charging cable 3.

Claims

Method for providing automatic access to a storage compartment (10, 11, 12) of a vehicle charging cable (3) of an electrically chargeable vehicle (1), wherein, upon detection that the vehicle (1) is at a charging station (2), a determination (S1) is made as to whether access to the storage compartment (10, 11, 12) of the vehicle charging cable (3) is required, and a further determination (S2) is made as to whether access to the storage compartment (10, 11, 12) should be provided or suppressed. Method according to claim 1, wherein it is determined that the vehicle charging cable (3) is required if the charging station (2) is a wireless charging station (2), or if the station charging cable (31) present at the charging station (2) is incompatible with the vehicle charging plug present at the vehicle (1). Method according to claim 2, wherein the determination of whether access to the storage (10, 11, 12) of the vehicle charging cable (3) should be provided is made by a user-defined or vehicle-side presetting depending on the location of the charging station (2) and / or environmental conditions and / or the type of charging station (2). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, when it is determined that access to the storage compartment (10, 11, 12) of the vehicle charging cable (3) is required and is to be provided, access to the storage compartment (10, 11, 12) is automatically provided by opening a tailgate, a front flap, a door or another cover located on the vehicle (1). Method according to claim 1, wherein, upon detection that a station charging cable (31) is permanently installed at the charging station (2), it is determined that the provision of the vehicle charging cable (3) from the storage compartment (10, 11, 12) is suppressed. The method according to claim 5, wherein the detection of whether the charging cable is permanently installed as a station charging cable (31) at the charging station (2) is carried out by detecting the type of charging station (2) by means of: - data transmission on the type of attachment of the charging cable via an external device (4) and / or - sensors installed on the vehicle (1) and / or - maps stored in the vehicle (1) or provided externally with information on the type of charging station (2) and / or - detecting the location of the charging station (2) and querying data stored for this location on the type of charging station (2) and / or - detecting the location of the charging station (2) and comparing it with past charging processes at the charging station (2) of the vehicle (1) or receiving data transmission on past charging processes at the charging station (2) of other vehicles (1) via an external device (4). Method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein, in the event that a charging process is terminated, the detection of whether the charging cable is permanently installed as a station charging cable (31) on the charging station (2) is carried out by detecting whether the end of the charging cable attached to the charging station (2) is still connected to the charging station (2) when the charging cable is unplugged. Control device for providing automatic access to a storage compartment (10, 11, 12) of a vehicle charging cable (3) of an electrically chargeable vehicle (1), wherein the control device is configured to perform the method according to one of the preceding claims. Vehicle with a control device according to claim 8. Vehicle according to claim 9, which further comprises means for communication with an external device (4) for data exchange.

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