CHARGING CABLE RECOGNITION SYSTEM AND METHOD IMPLEMENTING SUCH A SYSTEM

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for recognizing a charging cable (2) intended for recharging an electric or hybrid motor vehicle, said system comprising a central computer unit and a locker (1) capable of receiving the charging cable (2), said charging cable (2) having a data code, characterized in that said system comprises a means (4) for reading said data code; a means for recognizing said charging cable (2) by the central computer unit; a means for opening said locker (1); a means (3) for weighing said charging cable (2); a means for authenticating said charging cable (2) by the central computer unit and a means for closing said locker (1). The invention also relates to a method for implementing said system. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: SYSTEM FOR RECOGNIZING A CHARGING CABLE AND METHOD IMPLEMENTING SUCH A SYSTEM

[0001] The invention relates to the field of electric motor vehicles, and more particularly to the means of recharging these vehicles.

[0002] Known from the prior art is a patent application WO201259802 describing a charging station for an electric motor vehicle in which a storage space, or locker, is arranged. The locker comprises a charging socket into which a charging cable must be inserted to recharge said vehicle. An automatic locking means is present on said locker. To access the charging socket, a user must authenticate himself by entering an identifier specific to himself or an identifier specific to his vehicle. Authentication results in the automatic opening of said locker and therefore access to the charging socket contained in said locker. A central computer unit allows the processing of the information, at least the identifier entered by the user, and manages the opening or closing of the locker.The presence of said locker within the charging station allows for a gain in the protection of the charging socket without generating additional costs in the manufacture of an annex furniture presenting said locker. The authentication of the user reduces the risks of malicious acts occurring on the equipment placed in said locker. However, the charging cable is not present inside the locker. The user must therefore be in possession of his own charging cable, which can be restrictive in the event of forgetting it for example. Another device for providing or renting charging cables can be considered but these present a high risk of theft. In addition, user authentication does not allow the authentication of the equipment provided which can then be replaced by equipment of lower value for example.

[0003] The objective of the present invention is to address these drawbacks by providing a system that enables reliable identification of a provided charging cable to prevent theft.

[0004] To achieve this objective, the invention provides a system for recognizing a charging cable for charging an electric or hybrid motor vehicle, said system comprising a central computer unit and a housing adapted to receive the charging cable, said charging cable having a data code, said system comprising: - a means for reading said data code; - a means for recognizing said charging cable by the central computer unit; - a means for opening said housing; - a means for weighing said charging cable; - a means for authenticating said charging cable by the central computer unit; - a means of closing said locker.

[0005] Thanks to the invention, the risks of theft of said charging cable are reduced because the user continues to be debited from his bank account as long as the system has not recognized the charging cable as being the one belonging to the specific locker. It is then impossible for the user to exchange a charging cable with any other object, such as another less efficient or damaged charging cable for example.

[0006] Advantageously, said means for authenticating said charging cable implements a light signal intended to warn a user of the authentication of said charging cable.

[0007] The light signal lets the user know that the charging cable has been recognized as belonging to the relevant locker. The banking transaction is then finalized and the user can recover his vehicle.

[0008] Advantageously, said means for authenticating said charging cable implements an audible signal intended to warn a user of the authentication of said charging cable.

[0009] Just like the light signal, the sound signal lets the user know that the charging cable has been recognized as belonging to the relevant locker. The banking transaction is then finalized and the user can use his vehicle again. Another advantage in using a sound signal, instead of or in addition to a light signal, is for a visually impaired user for example or for a color blind user if the color of said light signal sends specific information such as, for example, green when the charging cable is recognized and red when it is not.

[0010] Advantageously, said data code is a barcode.

[0011] Reading information contained in a barcode is very widespread among the population. The user is already familiar with this process. Indeed, the user knows that he must pass the barcode in front of the reading means 4 so that it is scanned and the information it contains is sent to the central computer unit.

[0012] Advantageously, said data code is a QR code.

[0013] Where the barcode can only be read horizontally, a QR code is readable regardless of the direction in which it is presented to the reading means 4. The use of a QR code can therefore provide additional comfort to the user who does not have to worry about the direction in which he presents the QR code. In addition, reading a QR code is faster than reading a barcode.

[0014] The invention also relates to a method for recognizing a charging cable intended for recharging an electric or hybrid motor vehicle implementing said system previously described, characterized in that said method comprises the following steps: - a step of reading said data code; - a step of recognition of said data code by the central computer unit; - a step of opening said locker; - a step of depositing said charging cable in said locker; - a step of weighing said charging cable; - a step of authentication of said charging cable by the central computer unit; - a step of closing said locker.

[0015] The invention will be further detailed by the description of non-limiting embodiments, and on the basis of the appended figures illustrating variants of the invention, in which: - [Fig.l] schematically illustrates a system for recognizing a charging cable intended for charging an electric or hybrid motor vehicle; - [Fig.2] schematically illustrates, in the form of a flowchart, a process recognition of a charging cable;

[0016] In [Fig.l], a locker 1 is schematically illustrated, comprising a weighing means 3. The locker 1 can be housed in a piece of furniture provided for this purpose or directly in a charging station for an electrically powered motor vehicle. The locker 1 is arranged near a reading means 4 capable of reading a data code present on a charging cable 2. When said charging cable 2 is not used for charging an electric or hybrid motor vehicle, it is made available within the locker, on the weighing means 3 as shown in [Fig.l]. The locker 1 is closed. When a user, the owner of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle, needs to access the charging cable 2, he must conventionally present a means of payment opening said locker 1. He then takes the charging cable 2 and charges his vehicle.When the vehicle is fully charged, the user must replace the charging cable. 2 in the locker so that the banking transaction is completed. To avoid a possible replacement of the charging cable 2 by another, a method for recognizing said charging cable 2 is implemented as described in [Fig.2].

[0017] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates a flowchart representing the successive steps of a method for recognizing a charging cable intended for recharging an electric or hybrid motor vehicle. The locker 1 is intended to store said charging cable 2. Each charging cable 2 corresponds to a single charging cable 2. The recharging of an electric or hybrid vehicle can be carried out according to different charging modes. A mode 2 allows slow recharging of the vehicle by alternating current via a domestic electrical outlet. A mode 3, faster than mode 2, recharges the vehicle via a charging cable 2 capable of being plugged into a type 2 charging socket. The charging cable 2 is linked to an electrical recharging terminal which provides alternating current.Unlike a domestic electrical outlet, an electric charging station integrates control, safety, regulation and programming features for vehicle charging. A mode 4 can be implemented by an electric charging station delivering direct current at a very high power level. Thus, the vehicle is recharged very quickly. For vehicle charging in mode 4, it is necessary for the vehicle to have a charging socket capable of receiving a charging cable 2 equipped with special connectors. The type 2 charging socket is the most widespread to date and seems set to become the standard charging socket in the coming years, particularly in Europe. In the context of the invention, the charging cable 2 in question is therefore the type 2 or 3 charging cable 2. The charging cable 2 has a data code.The data code is a representation containing numeric or alphanumeric information. Since the data code cannot be interpreted by the human eye, it is necessary to have the reading means 4 to read it. The reading means 4 may in particular be an electronic reader. Preferably, the data code is a barcode. A barcode is a representation taking the form of a multitude of bars and spaces whose thicknesses vary. Alternatively, the data code may be represented in the form of a QR code. A QR code is a code allowing information to be transmitted by reading it by the adapted reading means 4. The adapted reading means 4 may be a specific electronic reader similar to that allowing the reading of the barcode but also by a mobile phone to which computer and internet browsing functions are associated for example.This representation in the form of a QR code makes it possible to provide compact information, i.e. in a smaller size, than a barcode which requires a larger one. space. The barcode or QR code can be affixed to a charging cable by laser printing or thermal transfer. During a reading step E1, the data code reading means 4 is present on the locker 1. After recharging the vehicle, the user presents the data code present on the recharging cable to the reading means 4 present outside the locker 1. During a recognition step E2, the information contained in the data code is transmitted to a central computer unit. The central computer unit processes the information so as to identify whether the code read corresponds to the code present on the recharging cable intended uniquely for the locker 1. When the central computer unit recognizes the recharging cable as being the one corresponding to the locker 1, the locker 1 opens automatically during an opening step E3. During a deposit step E4, the user deposits the recharging cable inside said locker 1. The locker 1 comprises a weighing means 3, preferably a scale.In a weighing step E5, the charging cable is placed on the weighing means 3. The weight of the charging cable is then measured by the weighing means 3 and this measurement is transferred to the central computer unit. In an authentication step E6, the central computer unit processes the information from the weighing of the charging cable and compares the information corresponding to a reference value. The reference value corresponds to the previously measured weight of the charging cable corresponding to the locker 1. Thus, if the user replaces the charging cable with another charging cable, a weight variation between the reference value and the measured weight will be detected. If such a weight variation is detected, the locker 1 remains open and the transaction will not be finalized. In this way, the amount of the transaction will continue to increase until the correct charging cable is placed on the weighing means 3.When the measured weight is equal to the reference value, the locker 1 closes during a closing step E7. To warn the user that the charging cable has been identified as being the charging cable corresponding to the locker 1, a light signal may appear. This signal warns the user of the upcoming closing of said locker 1 and the end of the transaction. Alternatively, said light signal may be replaced or supplemented by an audible signal, which will in particular warn people with visual acuity problems, for example. The closing of the locker 1 results in the end of the transaction.

Claims

Claims

1. System for recognizing a charging cable (2) intended for recharging an electric or hybrid motor vehicle, said system comprising a central computer unit and a locker (1) capable of receiving the charging cable (2), said charging cable (2) having a data code, characterized in that said system comprises: - a means for reading (4) said data code; - a means for recognizing said charging cable (2) by the central computer unit; - a means for opening said locker (1); - a means for weighing (3) said charging cable (2); - a means for authenticating said charging cable (2) by the central computer unit; - a means for closing said locker (1).

2. System according to claim 1 characterized in that said means for authenticating said charging cable (2) implements a light signal intended to warn a user of the authentication of said charging cable (2).

3. System according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that said means for authenticating said charging cable (2) implements an audible signal intended to warn a user of the authentication of said charging cable (2).

4. System according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that said data code is a bar code.

5. System according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that said data code is a QR code.

6. Method for recognizing a charging cable (2) intended for recharging an electric or hybrid motor vehicle implementing said system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said method comprises the following steps: - a step of reading (El) said data code; - a step of recognizing (E2) said data code by the central computer unit; - a step of opening (E3) said locker (1); - a step of depositing (E4) said charging cable (2) in said locker (1); - a weighing step (E5) of said recharging cable (2); - a step of authentication (E6) of said recharging cable (2) by the central computer unit; - a step of closing (E7) said locker (1).

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