Adaptive measuring device for recording electrical energy flows between charging infrastructure and electrically powered vehicles

Abstract

Measuring device (1) for recording electrical energy flows between a charging infrastructure (2) and an electrically operated vehicle (3), characterized in that the measuring device is designed as an intermediate plug-in module that can be inserted between the charging infrastructure and the vehicle and - includes at least one measuring module (4) for recording current, voltage and derived energy quantities, - has at least one processing unit (5) with a tamper-proof measurement processing area and a functionally separate system and communication processing area, - includes at least one wireless communication module (6) for transmitting the measurement data to an external terminal or backend, - and includes an energy supply powered via the charging infrastructure with an electrical energy storage system (7) to bridge voltage interruptions.

Description

Technical field

[0001] This description relates to a measuring device for recording electrical parameters in charging connections between energy sources and electrically powered vehicles, such as battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and similar vehicles. The device is specifically designed for temporary or permanent installation between a charging unit, such as a wallbox, and an electrically powered vehicle. The measuring device records current, voltage, and energy values, transmits these values ​​via communication interfaces to digital processing systems, and performs various safety-related and functional additional tasks. State of the art

[0002] Currently, the majority of charging data for electric company or private vehicles is recorded using permanently installed, meter-integrated charging devices or flat-rate billing models. Permanently installed metering systems generally require qualified electrical installation within the building's electrical system, increasing both costs and permitting requirements. Furthermore, while current-measuring plug-in devices exist on the market, these are mostly insufficiently precise, do not adhere to adequate calibration principles, or are not designed for the high charging capacities of modern electric vehicles. A portable, highly accurate, network-enabled, and safety-monitored metering device that can be used at the point of connection between the charging cable and the vehicle is not yet available. Object of the invention

[0003] The task is to provide a measuring device that: - precisely measures electrical energy flows between charging infrastructure and vehicle, - portable and universally applicable, - can be put into operation without any electrical installation measures, - can transmit measurement data to external systems via wireless communication units, - Integrated safety monitoring and protection functions, - enables unique identification for user assignment, - and is technically designed in such a way that future charging methods, plug standards or measurement principles can be adapted. Solution to the task

[0004] The task is solved by an adaptive measuring device that plugs in between the charging infrastructure and the vehicle. This device comprises a modular architecture of measuring electronics, processing units, and communication units. Using at least one current-measuring sensor principle (e.g., Rogowski coils or functional equivalents), the device measures the electrical parameters of all relevant conductors and calculates the electrical work with high accuracy. The processing unit includes at least one logically or physically separate circuit that ensures tamper-proof processing of the measured values ​​and handles peripheral functions, communication, and system control. The measuring device has at least one wireless communication unit that can transmit the measurement data, timestamps, diagnostic parameters, and safety-relevant information to an external backend or a user device.Data transmission can occur via one or more wireless and / or wired communication protocols, in particular message-based, packet-switched, or radio-based protocols such as MQTT, LoRaWAN, Bluetooth, WLAN, cellular protocols, or comparable communication methods. Power is supplied via the connected charging infrastructure, supplemented by an electrical energy storage device such as a supercapacitor or an electrochemical storage cell to bridge short-term power interruptions and ensure stable communication. Description of the invention 1. Mechanical and functional design

[0005] The measuring device is designed as an intermediate plug-in module and features a vehicle-side connection, a charging infrastructure-side connection, and an internal housing containing measuring electronics, processing and communication modules, and safety components. Its positioning directly between the charging cable and the vehicle enables measurement at the energy-relevant transfer point. 2. Measuring electronics

[0006] The measuring electronics comprise at least one measuring module for detecting electrical currents, voltages, and derived quantities. Current detection can be achieved using various sensor principles, including current transformer-based sensors, magnetic sensors, Rogowski coils, shunt-based methods, or functionally comparable technologies. The sensor devices are designed to detect multiphase AC charging currents, with the option to extend the system to DC charging. The measured values ​​are acquired with an accuracy of at least ±1% and processed in a tamper-proof manner. 3. Processing units

[0007] The device has at least one processing unit with functional sub-areas: a measurement processing unit for secure measurement data processing and a system and communication processing unit for external data communication, device control, protocol processing, and diagnostic functions. Functional separation can be achieved through separate microcontrollers, separate computing areas, safety modules, or software partitioning. 4. Communication module

[0008] The measuring device includes at least one communication module for transmitting the acquired data. This can include wireless local area networks, cellular connections, or alternative wireless communication standards. Measurement data, status messages, and device identification data are transmitted via this connection. App or backend integration enables visualization, control, and billing processes. 5. Safety and protection functions

[0009] For operational safety, the device has several monitoring and protection mechanisms, including temperature monitoring, detection of overcurrent events, tamper and sabotage detection, and a switching device for interrupting or re-enabling the current flow. 6. Energy supply and buffering

[0010] The measuring device is primarily powered by the charging infrastructure's energy supply. To bridge short-term voltage drops and ensure communication processes, an electrical energy storage device is used, such as a supercapacitor, a capacitor bank, or an electrochemical storage device. 7. Identification and management functions

[0011] An identification module is integrated to uniquely assign the metering device to users, vehicles, or billing accounts. It can use unique serial numbers, hardware-based identifiers, or digital identification features. This identifier serves to track charging processes, manage users, and facilitate backend integration. Advantages of the invention

[0012] The measuring device enables use without structural modifications, precise recording of the charged energy, expandability to future standards, flexible backend integration, increased security, tamper-proof data processing, and robust and portable handling.

Claims

[1] Measuring device (1) for recording electrical energy flows between a charging infrastructure (2) and an electrically powered vehicle (3), characterized by that the measuring device is designed as an intermediate plug-in module that can be inserted between the charging infrastructure and the vehicle and - includes at least one measuring module (4) for recording current, voltage and derived energy quantities, - has at least one processing unit (5) with a tamper-proof measurement processing area and a functionally separate system and communication processing area, - includes at least one wireless communication module (6) for transmitting the measurement data to an external terminal or backend, - and includes an energy supply powered via the charging infrastructure with an electrical energy storage system (7) to bridge voltage interruptions. [2] Measuring device according to claim 1, characterized by that the measuring module includes at least one current sensor selected from Rogowski coils, current transformer-based sensors, magnetic sensors, shunt measuring elements or functionally equivalent measuring principles. [3] Measuring device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized by that the measuring device is designed to detect multi-phase AC charging currents and is expandable for DC charging processes. [4] Measuring device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the measured values ​​can be determined with an accuracy of at least ±1%. [5] Measuring device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the functional separation of the processing unit is achieved through separate microcontrollers, safety-isolated computing areas or software partitioning. [6] Measuring device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the tamper-proof measurement processing area exclusively handles measurement data processing and storage and is secured against external interference. [7] Measuring device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the communication module includes a radio module compliant with WLAN, mobile cellular, Bluetooth or proprietary wireless communication standards. [8] Measuring device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that measurement data, status data, diagnostic information and a unique device identification can be transmitted via the communication module. [9] Measuring device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that temperature monitoring is provided. [10] Measuring device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that overcurrent, fault current or other abnormal charging situations can be detected. [11] Measuring device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a switching device is provided for interrupting or re-enabling the current flow. [12] Measuring device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that attempts at manipulation or sabotage can be detected via sensors or software-based monitoring mechanisms. [13] Measuring device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the energy storage device is designed as a supercapacitor, capacitor system or electrochemical storage device. [14] Measuring device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that an identification module is provided for assigning the measuring device to users, vehicles or billing accounts. [15] Measuring device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the identification includes hardware-based identifiers, digital certificates, or cryptographically generated serial numbers. [16] Measuring device for recording electrical parameters of a charging process of an electrically powered vehicle, characterized by that the measuring device is designed as a pluggable module between a charging infrastructure and an electrically operated vehicle, includes at least one measuring module for recording multi-phase AC charging currents and is designed in such a way that the measuring device is expandable for recording DC charging processes.

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