ESTIMATING THE CHARGING TIME OF A VEHICLE BATTERY AT A CHARGING STATION

Abstract

An estimation method is implemented in a vehicle with a battery that has a current state of charge and is ready to be recharged by a charging station. This method includes a step (10-30) in which a first piece of information representing the remaining charging time by the charging station is estimated as a function of the ratio between the difference between the current state of charge and a first parameter that is a function of a minimum state of charge, and a second parameter that is a function of this minimum state of charge and the maximum charging power supplied by the charging station. Figure 3

Description

Title of the invention: Estimating the charging time of a vehicle battery using a charging station Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to vehicles comprising at least one battery rechargeable by a charging station, and more specifically to estimating at least one piece of information representative of the remaining charging time of such a battery. Prior art

[0002] Some vehicles, possibly of the automobile type, include at least one battery which is rechargeable with electrical energy when coupled to a charging station.

[0003] Generally, this rechargeable battery is notably responsible for powering an electric drive machine of the vehicle's powertrain (or powertrain), and therefore constitutes a main battery (or "power" or "traction" battery).

[0004] Due to the lengthy charging times involved, it has been proposed to estimate information that is representative of the remaining charging time of a battery at a charging station, and to make this estimated information available to users of the charging stations, for example by displaying it on a screen at the charging station or by populating a user-accessible database. This information advantageously allows users to avoid going to a charging station and waiting (very) long periods for it to become available.

[0005] By way of example, such an estimate is described in particular in patent document W0-A1 202339280.

[0006] Currently, the known estimation methods are either very summarily described (and therefore we are dealing with a "black box"), or dedicated to a single type of charging current and a single maximum charging power (and therefore almost impossible to generalize for charging stations allowing several types of charging current and / or several charging powers), or require the vehicle to provide a large number of current values ​​of variables representative of its battery (which is (very) rarely possible).

[0007] The invention therefore aims in particular to improve the situation. Presentation of the invention

[0008] In particular, it proposes for this purpose an estimation method intended to be implemented to estimate at least a first piece of information representative of a duration remaining charge from a charging station of a vehicle battery with a current state of charge.

[0009] This estimation method is characterized by the fact that it includes a step in which the first information is estimated as a function of a ratio between a difference between the current state of charge and a first parameter based on a minimum state of charge, and a second parameter based on this minimum state of charge and a maximum charging power supplied by the charging station.

[0010] Thanks to the invention, it is now possible to estimate very easily and very quickly the first piece of information from an equation having one variable, namely the current state of charge, and comprising parameters whose values ​​have been previously determined as a function of at least the minimum state of charge but also of the maximum charging power in the case of the second parameter, without this requiring the vehicle to provide anything other than the current state of charge.

[0011] The estimation method according to the invention may include other features which may be taken separately or in combination, and in particular:

[0012] - in its stage, the minimum charge state can be between 15% and 25%;

[0013] - in a first embodiment, in its step, the first parameter can also be dependent on the maximum charging power and the type of charging current supplied by the charging station;

[0014] - also in a first embodiment, in its step, the second parameter can also depend on the type of charging current supplied by the charging station;

[0015] - in the presence of at least one of the last two options, in its step, the type of The charging current can be chosen from single-phase alternating current, three-phase alternating current and direct current;

[0016] - in a second embodiment, in its step, when the type of current of recharge is a direct current, the second parameter can be equal to a product of a third parameter depending on the minimum state of charge and a natural logarithm of the maximum charging power, plus a fourth parameter depending on the minimum state of charge and the type of charging current;

[0017] - in its step, one can also estimate a second piece of information representative of a remaining charging time to reach a chosen state of charge of the battery by performing a subtraction between a value, resulting from a replacement of the current state of charge by this chosen state of charge in the estimation of the first information, and the first information estimated for the current state of charge.

[0018] The invention also proposes a computer program product comprising a set of instructions which, when executed by processing means, is suitable for implementing an estimation method of the type described above, in a vehicle including a battery with a current state of charge and ready to be recharged by a charging station, to estimate at least a first representative piece of information of a remaining charging time of this battery by this charging station.

[0019] The invention also proposes an estimation device intended to estimate at least a first piece of information representative of a remaining charging time by a charging station of a battery of a vehicle having a state of charge in progress.

[0020] This estimation device is characterized by the fact that it comprises at least one processor and at least one memory arranged to perform the operations of estimating the first information as a function of a ratio between a difference between the current state of charge and a first parameter based on a minimum state of charge, and a second parameter based on this minimum state of charge and a maximum charging power supplied by the charging station.

[0021] The invention also proposes a vehicle, possibly of the automobile type, comprising, on the one hand, a battery having a state of charge in progress and suitable for being recharged by a charging station, and, on the other hand, an estimation device of the type of that presented above. Brief description of the figures

[0022] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from an examination of the detailed description below, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0023] [Fig. 1] schematically and functionally illustrates an example of an embodiment of a charging station, comprising a charging station computer including an example of an embodiment of an estimation device according to the invention, and to which a vehicle comprising a rechargeable battery is temporarily connected,

[0024] [Fig.2] schematically and functionally illustrates an example of an embodiment of a terminal calculator comprising an example of an embodiment of an estimation device according to the invention, and

[0025] [Fig.3] schematically illustrates an example of an algorithm implementing an estimation method according to the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0026] The invention aims in particular to propose an estimation method, and an associated estimation device DE, intended to allow the estimation of at least a first piece of information il, representative of a remaining charging time by a charging station BR of a battery BV of a vehicle V.

[0027] In what follows, vehicle V is considered, by way of non-limiting example, to be of the automobile type. For example, it is a car, as illustrated in [Fig. 1]. But the invention is not limited to this type of vehicle. It relates in fact to any type of vehicle including at least one battery rechargeable by a charging station. Thus, it concerns land vehicles (commercial vehicles, motorhomes, minibuses, coaches, trucks, motorcycles, road maintenance vehicles, construction vehicles, agricultural vehicles, recreational vehicles (snowmobiles, go-karts), tracked vehicles, trains and trams, for example), aircraft and boats.

[0028] Furthermore, in what follows, by way of non-limiting example, vehicle V is considered to include a powertrain (or PWM) of the all-electric type (and therefore whose propulsion is provided exclusively by at least one electric motor). However, the PWM could be of the hybrid type (thermal and electric).

[0029] A vehicle V comprising a rechargeable battery BV suitable for powering an electric GMP (here) (and therefore electric motor(s)), and a charging connector CR which is temporarily connected here, via a charging cable CR', to a charging station BR comprising an estimation device DE according to the invention.

[0030] The rechargeable battery BV, which here powers at least one electric drive unit, constitutes a main (or power or traction) battery. It may, for example, include electrical energy storage cells, possibly electrochemical (e.g., lithium-ion (or Li-ion), Ni-MH, or Ni-Cd). Also, for example, the (rechargeable) battery BV may be of the low-voltage type (typically 450 V, for illustrative purposes). But it could also be of the medium-voltage or high-voltage type. This (rechargeable) battery BV has a current state of charge (or SOC, "State of Charge") which is estimated by an associated battery computer, for example.

[0031] The BR charging station includes a CB charging station controller responsible for managing the user interface and controlling the charging of each battery of a vehicle connected to it (BR). Preferably, this BR charging station can provide several types of charging current, such as single-phase alternating current (e.g., at a power of 7.4 kW), three-phase alternating current (possibly at at least two different power levels (e.g., 11 kW and 22 kW)), and direct current (possibly at at least two different power levels (e.g., 50 kW, 100 kW, 150 kW, and 200 kW)). However, the BR charging station could provide a limited number of charging current types, such as single-phase alternating current and three-phase alternating current (at least one power level), or direct current (possibly at at least two different power levels).

[0032] Furthermore, the BR charging station here includes a display screen EA allowing users to receive information relating to the charging in progress, and also potentially allowing users to provide information useful for defining the desired top-ups.

[0033] As mentioned above, the invention proposes in particular an estimation method intended to allow the estimation of at least a first piece of information il, representative of a remaining charging time by the charging station BR of the battery BV of the vehicle V.

[0034] This estimation method can be implemented at least partially by the DE estimation device (illustrated at least partially in Figures 1 and 2), which comprises for this purpose at least one PR1 processor, for example a digital signal processor (or DSP), and at least one MD memory. This DE estimation device can therefore be implemented as a combination of electrical or electronic circuits or components (or "hardware") and software modules (or "software"). For example, it could be a microcontroller.

[0035] The MD memory is random access memory (RAM) to store instructions for the implementation by the PR1 processor of at least part of the estimation process. The PR1 processor may comprise integrated (or printed) circuits, or several integrated (or printed) circuits connected by wired or wireless connections. An integrated (or printed) circuit is defined as any type of device capable of performing at least one electrical or electronic operation.

[0036] In the example illustrated, but not limited to, in Figures 1 and 2, the DE estimation device is part of the CB terminal computer of the BR charging station. However, this is not mandatory. Indeed, the DE estimation device could include its own dedicated computer, which could then be coupled to the CB terminal computer or to an information server (IS) comprising a database providing users with information relating to numerous charging stations and their current or future availability (taking into account reserved time slots), or it could be part of such an information server (IS), for example.

[0037] As illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig.3], the (estimation) method according to the invention includes a step 10-30 which is implemented each time a vehicle V has connected to a charging station BR and a charging of the battery BV of this vehicle V begins.

[0038] Step 10-30 of the method includes a substep 10 in which a first piece of information il is estimated (for example, by the estimation device DE), representing the remaining charging time of the vehicle's battery BV by the charging station BR. This estimation is based on a ratio rl between, on the one hand, a difference dl between the current state of charge ecl and a first parameter pl which is a function of at least a minimum state of charge ecmin (i.e., dl = ecl - pl), and, on the other hand, a second parameter p2 which is a function of this minimum state of charge ecmin and a maximum charging power prmax supplied by the BR charging station. We then have il = f(rl) = f(dl / p2) = f((ecl - pl) / p2).

[0039] Note that the function f(rl) can be equal to rl (i.e., f(rl) = rl). But this is not mandatory.

[0040] It will be understood that we consider here that in most charging operations, the current state of charge ec1 of the battery being charged is initially greater than or equal to the minimum state of charge ecmin (i.e., ecl > ecmin). Consequently, any initial information il can be estimated from a linear equation or formula having one variable, namely the current state of charge ecl, and comprising parameters (pl and p2) whose values ​​have been previously determined based at least on the minimum state of charge ecmin, but also on the maximum charging power prmax in the case of p2. This makes it very easy and very quick to estimate (and therefore with very little computing power) each initial information il for at least different maximum charging powers prmax, which ensures generality without requiring the vehicle V to provide anything other than the current state of charge ecl.

[0041] For example, in substep 10 of step 10-30, the minimum load state ecmin can be between 15% and 25%. As an illustrative example, the minimum load state ecmin can be equal to 20%. However, other values ​​for the minimum load state ecmin can be used.

[0042] At least two embodiments can be envisaged for the estimation process (and therefore also the DE estimation device), depending on how the first p1 and second p2 parameters are determined.

[0043] In a first embodiment, in substep 10 of step 10-30, the first parameter pl can be a function not only of the minimum state of charge ecmin but also of the maximum charging power prmax and the type ter of the charging current supplied to the vehicle V by the charging station BR, i.e., pl = g(ecmin, prmax, ter). Different values ​​of the first parameter pl are then available for the different triplets (ecmin, prmax, ter) possible with the charging station BR used. In other words, each triplet corresponds to a specific value of the first parameter pl, which makes it possible to take into account many known situations that differ in terms of the minimum state of charge ecmin and / or the maximum charging power prmax and / or the type of charging current supplied ter.

[0044] Also in this first embodiment, in substep 10 of step 10-30, the second parameter p2 can be a function not only of the minimum state of charge ecmin and the maximum charging power prmax, but also of the type ter of the charging current supplied to the vehicle V by the charging station BR, i.e., p2 = h(ecmin, prmax, ter). Different values ​​of the second parameter p2 are then available for the different triplets (ecmin, prmax, ter) possible with the charging station. BR used. In other words, each triplet corresponds to a specific value of the second parameter p2, which allows us to take into account many known situations which differ in terms of the minimum state of charge ecmin and / or the maximum charging power prmax and / or the type of charging current supplied ter.

[0045] For example, and as mentioned above, the type of charging current supplied can be chosen from single-phase alternating current, three-phase alternating current and direct current.

[0046] In a second embodiment, in substep 10 of step 10-30, when the charging current type is direct current, the second parameter p2 can be equal to the product of a third parameter p3, which is a function of the minimum state of charge ecmin, and the natural logarithm of the maximum charging power prmax, plus a fourth parameter p4, which is a function of the minimum state of charge ecmin and the type of charging current supplied ter. We then have p2 = (p3*lnprmax) + p4, and il = f((ecl - pl) / ((p3*lnprmax) + p4)). It should be noted that for maximum charging powers prmax greater than or equal to 100 kW, it is possible to use the same value for the first parameter pl, the same value for the third parameter p3, and the same value for the fourth parameter p4.

[0047] It should also be noted that in this second embodiment, when the type of charging current supplied is alternating current (single-phase or three-phase) the formula given above is used (il = f((ecl - pl) / p2)).

[0048] Also, for example, and as illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig. 3], step 10-30 may include a substep 20 in which one (for example, the estimation device DE) may also estimate a second piece of information i2 which is representative of the remaining charging time to reach a chosen state of charge ec2 of the battery BV. This second estimation can be done by subtracting a value il(ec2), resulting from replacing the current state of charge ecl with the chosen state of charge ec2 in the estimation of the first piece of information il, from the first piece of information il estimated for the current state of charge ecl (i.e., il(ecl)). We then have i2 = il(ec2) - il(ecl).

[0049] It should be noted that the second estimation can be done using the formulas of the first embodiment or of the second embodiment (including in the version using the natural logarithm of the maximum charging power prmax).

[0050] It will be understood that here we consider that in most charging the state of charge of the battery desired by the user is equal to the state of charge chosen ec2, which may, for example, correspond to the maximum preferred state of charge of the batteries recommended by the different vehicle manufacturers.

[0051] For example, in substep 20 of step 10-30, the selected state of charge ec2 can be between 75% and 90%. By way of illustrative example, the selected state of charge ec2 can be equal to 80%. But other values ​​for the chosen EC2 state of charge can be used.

[0052] The first piece of information il or the possible second piece of information i2 can, for example, be displayed on the EA screen of the BR charging station in a sub-step 30 of step 10-30, as illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig. 3], on the command of the estimation device DE. This advantageously allows users wishing to charge their vehicle's battery at this BR charging station to be informed of the remaining charging time at this BR charging station, and to act accordingly.

[0053] Alternatively and / or in addition, the first piece of information il or the possible second piece of information i2 can, for example, be transmitted to the information server SI on the order of the estimation device DE in substep 30, via at least one RC communication network accessible to the charging station BR. This advantageously makes it possible to provide users of the charging stations, for example via an application or a website, with information relating to their current availability so that they can act accordingly and, for example, optimize their journeys and / or the duration of their journeys.

[0054] It should also be noted, as illustrated but not limited to [Fig. 2], that the CB charging station computer (or the DE estimation device computer) may also include a mass memory MM1, in particular for storing the current state of charge ecl and the maximum charging power prmax supplied to the vehicle V connected to the charging station BR, as well as any intermediate data involved in all its calculations and processing. Furthermore, this CB charging station computer (or the DE estimation device computer) may also include an IE input interface for receiving at least the current state of charge ecl and the maximum charging power prmax supplied to the vehicle V connected to the charging station BR for use in calculations or processing, possibly after having been shaped and / or demodulated and / or amplified, in a manner known per se, by means of a digital signal processor PR2.Furthermore, this CB terminal calculator (or the DE estimation device calculator) may also include an IS output interface, notably to deliver a message containing the first information il or the possible second information i2, and a message (or command) to display or transmit the first information il or the possible second information i2.

[0055] It should also be noted that the invention also proposes a computer program product (or computer program) comprising a set of instructions which, when executed by processing means such as electronic circuits (or hardware), such as the PR1 processor, is suitable for implementing the estimation method described above to estimate in vehicle V at least the The first piece of information is representative of the remaining charging time of the BV battery by a BR charging station.

Claims

Demands

1. Method for estimating at least one first piece of information representative of a remaining charging time by a charging station (BR) of a battery (BV) of a vehicle (V) having a current state of charge, characterized in that it comprises a step (10-30) in which said first piece of information is estimated as a function of a ratio between a difference between said current state of charge and a first parameter as a function of a minimum state of charge, and a second parameter as a function of said minimum state of charge and a maximum charging power supplied by said charging station (BR).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that in said step (10-30) said minimum load state is between 15% and 25%.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in said step (10-30) said first parameter is further a function of said maximum charging power and of a type of charging current supplied by said charging station (BR).

4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that in said step (10-30) said second parameter is further a function of a type of charging current supplied by said charging station (BR).

5. Method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that in said step (10-30) said type of charging current is selected from single-phase alternating current, three-phase alternating current and direct current.

6. A method according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that in said step (10-30) when said type of charging current is a direct current, said second parameter is equal to a product of a third parameter as a function of said minimum state of charge and a natural logarithm of said maximum charging power, plus a fourth parameter as a function of said minimum state of charge and said type of charging current.

7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that in said step (10-30) a second piece of information is estimated, representing the remaining charging time to reach a chosen state of charge of said battery (BV) by performing a subtraction between a value, resulting from a replacement of said current state of charge by said state of charge chosen in the estimation of said first information, and said first information estimated for said current state of charge.

8. Product computer program comprising a set of instructions which, when executed by processing means, is suitable for implementing the estimation method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in a vehicle (V) comprising a battery (BV) having a state of charge in progress and suitable for being recharged by a charging station (BR), to estimate at least a first piece of information representative of a remaining charging time of said battery (BV) by said charging station (BR).

9. Estimating device (ED) for estimating at least one first piece of information representative of a remaining charging time by a charging station (BR) of a battery (BV) of a vehicle (V) having a current state of charge, characterized in that it comprises at least one processor (PR1) and at least one memory (MD) arranged to perform the operations of estimating said first piece of information as a function of a ratio between a difference between said current state of charge and a first parameter as a function of a minimum state of charge, and a second parameter as a function of said minimum state of charge and a maximum charging power supplied by said charging station (BR).

10. Vehicle (V) comprising a battery (BV) having a state of charge in progress and suitable for recharging by a charging station (BR), characterized in that it further comprises an estimation device (DE) according to claim 9.

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