Electric vehicle charging system interface

Abstract

To provide an electric vehicle (EV) charging system interface that makes it easier for EV owners to share charging stations.SOLUTION: An EV charging system includes a plurality of output connections (e.g., cables) 141 to 144. Each of the output connections is connected to at least one head 111 to 114, and each head can be connected concurrently to each of EVs 120, 121. A charging current is directed to a first output connection of the output connections if a first EV is connected to a head connected to the first output connection of the output connections. Then, the charging current to the first output connection of the output connections can be stopped and switched to a second output connection of the output connections and the charging can be restarted if a second EV is connected to a head connected to the second output connection of the output connections. A graphical user interface (GUI) includes elements that indicate which output connection of a charging station is receiving the charging current.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001]

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 263,564, entitled "Multiple Vehicle Charging Stations Per Power Circuit and Time Multiplexing Charging Method," filed on Dec. 4, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This application is related to co-pending applications, both entitled "An Electric Vehicle Charging System" and "An Electric Vehicle Charging Method," respectively, by C. Reynolds et al., Attorney Docket Nos. CYSW-0001-01U00US and CYSW-0001-02U00US, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Background Art

[0002]

[0002] Electric vehicles (EVs) utilize batteries that need to be charged periodically. EV owners can easily charge their vehicles at home, in which case only the EV owners can use the home charging stands or outlets. However, when away from home, EV owners must use and share charging stands at public or private locations such as workplaces, shopping malls, movie theaters, restaurants, and hotels.

[0003]

[0003] The demand for charging stands is increasing as the number of EVs continues to grow. Companies are beginning to add charging stands in their parking lots as a perk for their employees and customers. In some cases, local governments are mandating that companies add charging stands.

[0004]

[0004] Thus, more charging stations are being installed outside the home, whether driven by consumer demand or government mandates. However, the cost of charging stations (including the hardware and installation of dedicated power lines) is relatively high and is typically borne by business owners. Therefore, solutions to reduce the cost of charging stations are valuable by reducing the burden on businesses, while increasing the availability of charging stations to EV owners.

[0005]

[0005] Even if the cost of charging stations (including installation) is reduced, it remains insufficient from a cost perspective to install enough charging stations to meet peak demand. Therefore, charging stations still need to be shared. EV owners essentially understand the need to share charging stations, but nevertheless, when charging stations become available, they find it inconvenient that they have to move their vehicles from the parking lot to the charging station and then move their vehicles to another parking lot after charging to make room for other vehicles. Therefore, solutions that make it easier for EV owners to share charging stations should also be valuable.

Summary of the Invention

[0006]

[0006] In an embodiment according to the present disclosure, a single circuit (power supply circuit) is routed to a plurality of charging stands (or to a single stand having a plurality of charging connectors, referred to herein as output connection parts, connectors, or cables). At any given time, only one of the charging stands / connectors on that single circuit is being used to charge a vehicle. The vehicle is charged for a specific period (e.g., 30 minutes), then the charging of that vehicle is stopped, and then the next charging stand / connector on the single circuit is used to charge another vehicle for a specific period (e.g., 30 minutes, or some other length of time), and so on. For example, if there are four charging stands / connectors on a single circuit and vehicles are connected to each charging stand / connector, vehicle 1 at stand / connector 1 is charged for a specific period (while vehicle 1 is being charged, no other vehicle is being charged), then vehicle 2 is charged at stand / connector 2, and so on, and then, for example, in a round-robin fashion, it returns to vehicle 1 at stand / connector 1. If a vehicle is not connected to a charging stand / connector, or if the vehicle connected to the charging stand / connector does not need to be charged, that charging stand / connector is automatically ignored.

[0007]

[0007] More specifically, embodiments according to the present invention relate to a system and method for monitoring and managing a network of EV charging stands that operate as described above. In one embodiment, a graphical user interface (GUI) is rendered on a display of a computer system. The GUI includes a plurality of elements representing the charging stands in the network. This GUI element indicates which output connection part of the charging stand is receiving a charging current.

[0008]

[0008] In one embodiment, the GUI includes a graph showing the number of amperes of charging current versus time for a selected output connection part.

[0009]

[0009] In one embodiment, the GUI includes a log of the number of amperes of charging current for each of the output connection parts.

[0010]

[0010] In one embodiment, the GUI includes a map showing the positions of the charging stands in the network. In this embodiment, the GUI element indicating the charging stand is displayed in response to the selection of one of the positions on the map.

[0011]

[0011] In one embodiment, the GUI can be used to turn on and off system / network components such as, for example, a selected head, a selected output connection, and a selected charging stand in the network.

[0012]

[0012] In one embodiment, the GUI includes an indicator indicating whether there is a fault in one of the plurality of output connections.

[0013]

[0013] In one embodiment, the GUI can send information, such as information indicating which of the charging stands, for example, are available for charging an electric vehicle, to another device such as, for example, a smartphone.

[0014]

[0014] Accordingly, embodiments according to the present invention include a GUI that can be used to monitor and manage a multi-vehicle charging system or network, which, although not limited to, includes the following features. That is, a plurality of physical charging stands / connections for each power circuit, sequential (e.g., brute force) charging, and automatic charging of a plurality of vehicles without user intervention. By enabling a plurality of charging stands to share a common power circuit, the total cost of installing the charging stands is substantially reduced.

[0015] More specifically, since only a single circuit is used for multiple charging stands / connection parts, costs are reduced. In other words, for example, there is no need to pay for a dedicated circuit for each charging stand. New charging stands can be added at low cost per stand, and thus more charging stands can be installed at the same cost. Existing infrastructure (e.g., existing circuits) can be easily modified to accommodate multiple charging stands / connection parts instead of a single charging stand with a single output connection part.

[0016]

[0016] As the number of charging stands increases, vehicle charging becomes more convenient. For example, the vehicle does not need to be moved as frequently. From the perspective of employees, the availability of convenient (and free) charging stands at the workplace is an advantage. From the perspective of employees, the availability of convenient charging stands encourages employees to stay at the workplace longer to obtain free charging before leaving work, and in addition, employees do not need to move their cars as frequently, so there is a possibility that the productivity of employees will increase.

[0017]

[0017] The GUI is a convenient and user-friendly mechanism for monitoring and managing a multiple vehicle charging system / network, and provides a mechanism that enables the implementation and use of the above-described related advantages of the system or network. For example, an administrator of a multiple vehicle charging system / network can easily monitor the functions and availability of network components such as circuits, channels, output connections, heads, and charging stands, and can easily control such components (e.g., turn them on and off), can easily monitor charging signatures and charging periods (e.g., for rotating charging in a brute-force manner as described herein), can easily collect and log network information, and can easily perform diagnostics. Also, the GUI can be accessed by or transferred to other devices such as smartphones, and thus, a user (the driver of an EV) can easily determine which charging stands and output connections are available and when charging is completed.

[0018]

[0018] These and other objects and advantages of various embodiments according to the present invention will be recognized by those skilled in the art after reading the following detailed description of the embodiments shown in the figures of the various drawings.

[0019]

[0019] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the detailed description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020]

Figure 1

Figure 2

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Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

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Figure 14

Figure 15

Figure 16

Figure 17

Figure 18

Figure 19

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021]

[0039] Next, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be referred to in detail, and examples thereof are shown in the accompanying drawings. Although these embodiments will be described in conjunction with them, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the present disclosure to these embodiments. On the contrary, the present disclosure is intended to include alternative forms, modified forms, and equivalent forms, which can be included within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Further, in the following detailed description of the present disclosure, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a complete understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be understood that the present disclosure can be practiced without these specific details. In other cases, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the aspects of the present disclosure unnecessarily.

[0022]

[0040] Some portions of the detailed descriptions which follow are presented from the perspective of symbolic representations of procedures, logic blocks, processing, and other operations on data bits within a computer memory. These descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. In the present application, a procedure, logic block, or process, for example, is considered to be a self-consistent sequence of steps or instructions leading to a desired result. Steps are those that utilize physical operations of physical quantities. Usually, but not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated in a computer system. It has been found convenient at times, mainly for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as transactions, bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, samples, or pixels, among other things.

[0023]

[0041] However, it should be borne in mind that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. As will be apparent from the following description, unless otherwise specified, throughout this disclosure, descriptions using terms such as "receiving," "directing," "sending," "stopping," "determining," "generating," "displaying," or "indicating" are understood to represent the operations and processes of an apparatus or a computer system or similar electronic computing device or processor (e.g., device 1900 of FIG. 19). A computer system or similar electronic computing device operates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within a memory, register, or other such information storage device, a transmission device, or a display device.

[0024]

[0042] The embodiments described in this specification can be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions residing in some form of computer-readable storage medium, such as program modules executed by one or more computers or other devices. By way of example and not limitation, a computer-readable storage medium can comprise a non-transitory computer storage medium and a communication medium. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The functions of the program modules can be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments.

[0025]

[0043] Computer storage media includes volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for the storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory (e.g., SSD or NVMe), or other memory technologies, Compact Disc ROM (CD-ROM), Digital Versatile Disc (DVD), or other optical storage devices, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage devices, or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store the desired information and can be accessed to retrieve that information.

[0026]

[0044] Communication media can embody computer-executable instructions, data structures, and program modules and includes any information delivery media. By way of example and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, radio frequency (RF), infrared, and other wireless media. Any of the foregoing combinations can also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0027]

[0045] In summary, in embodiments according to the present disclosure, a single circuit (power supply circuit) is routed to a plurality of charging stands (or to a single stand having a plurality of charging connectors referred to herein as output connection portions, connectors, or cables). At any given time, only one of the charging stands / connectors on that single circuit is used to charge a vehicle. The vehicle is charged for a specific period (e.g., 30 minutes), then the charging of that vehicle is stopped, and then the next charging stand / connector on the single circuit is used to charge another vehicle for a specific period (e.g., 30 minutes, or some other length of time) according to a charging sequence or procedure, and so on. For example, if there are four charging stands / connectors on a single circuit and vehicles are connected to each charging stand / connector, vehicle 1 is charged for a specific period at stand / connector 1 (while vehicle 1 is being charged, no other vehicle is being charged), then vehicle 2 is charged at stand / connector 2, and so on, and then, for example, in a round-robin fashion (round-robin charging sequence), it returns to vehicle 1 at stand / connector 1. If a vehicle is not connected to a charging stand / connector, or if the vehicle connected to the charging stand / connector does not need to be charged, that charging stand / connector is ignored according to the charging procedure.

[0028]

[0046] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing selected elements of a multi-vehicle charging system 100 in an embodiment according to the present invention. The multi-vehicle charging system 100 can include several different charging stands, such as charging stand 110. Each charging stand includes an input portion 108 that receives a voltage. The voltage originates from an electrical panel (main alternating current [AC] power supply 130) and is supplied to the charging stand or a group of charging stands via a dedicated circuit 131, depending on the implementation form. See FIGS. 4 - 8 for information regarding different implementation forms. Depending on the number of charging stands, there may be multiple electrical panels and multiple circuits. Each charging stand includes power electronics (not shown), such as wires, capacitors, transformers, and other electronic components.

[0029]

[0047] In the example of FIG. 1, the multi-vehicle charging system 100 also includes several output cables or output connections 141, 142, 143, and 144 (141 - 144). As will be described, depending on the implementation form, the charging stand can have only a single output connection, or the charging stand can have multiple output connections. Thus, depending on the implementation form, the output connections 141 - 144 can all be connected to a single charging stand, or each of the output connections can be connected to its own charging stand (one output connection per charging stand). Refer to FIGS. 4 - 8 for additional information. Four output connections are shown and described in the example of FIG. 1, but embodiments according to the present invention are not so limited. There can be fewer than four output connections per charging stand, or more than four output connections per charging stand.

[0030]

[0048] As will be described in conjunction with FIGS. 4 - 8 below, the controller 106 (which can also be called the main controller of the electric vehicle) manages the power distribution of the multi-vehicle charging system 100. The controller 106 can perform other functions such as measuring power usage and storing information related to charging events. Depending on the implementation form, the multi-vehicle charging system 100 can include multiple controllers. Depending on the implementation form, the controller can manage EV charging at multiple charging stands, or the controller can manage EV charging at a single charging stand. FIGS. 5 - 8 described below show different implementation forms of the controller 106.

[0031]

[0049] Continuing with the example of FIG. 1, each of the output cables or connections 141-144 is connected to at least one head (heads 111, 112, 113, 114 respectively). The head may be a plug that can be inserted into a socket on an electric vehicle (EV) such as electric vehicles 120 and 121. Alternatively, the head may be a socket that can be connected to a plug from an EV. Generally, the head is configured to connect to an EV and supply a charging current to the EV to which it is connected. In the example of FIG. 1, a single head is connected to each output cable. In one embodiment, multiple heads are connected to one or more of the output connections 141-144 (see the following description of FIGS. 7 and 8).

[0032]

[0050] The EV can be any type of vehicle, such as a passenger car, truck, motorcycle, golf cart, or a bicycle with a motor (auxiliary electric motor), but is not limited thereto.

[0033]

[0051] Embodiments according to the present invention can be used in level 2 or level 3 charging stands, but the present invention is not limited to such types of charging stands and can be used in other types that may appear in the future. In one embodiment, the maximum charging current is 32 amperes, but again, embodiments according to the present invention are not so limited.

[0034]

[0052] In an embodiment according to the present invention, using the example of FIG. 1, when multiple electric vehicles (e.g., EVs 120 and 121) are simultaneously connected to the charging stand via the heads, the multiple vehicle charging system 100 supplies the charging current to only one of the output connections 141-144 at a time. That is, for example, if the period during which EV 120 is connected to output connection 144 overlaps with the period during which EV 121 is connected to output connection 143, the charging current is supplied to only one of those two EVs at a time.

[0035]

[0053] In one embodiment, when there is no electrical load (e.g., EV) connected to the output connection part, the charging current is not supplied to the output connection part. In one embodiment, when the EV connected to the output connection part no longer requires charging, the charging current is not supplied to the output connection part.

[0036]

[0054] In one embodiment, in the example of FIG. 1, the charging current is supplied to the first output connection part among the output connection parts 141 to 144 over a time interval, then the charging current is stopped, switched to another output connection part among the output connection parts, and charging is resumed over another time interval (the length of which may be the same as or different from the length of the preceding time interval), and finally, the charging current is supplied to all of the output connection parts connected to the EV. From that point on, the cycle starts again.

[0037]

[0055] In one embodiment, each interval is 30 minutes in length, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The length of each interval is programmable and changeable. The length of the interval of one output connection part may be different from the length of the interval of another output connection part. In other words, the length of the interval does not have to be the same for all of the output connection parts 141 to 144.

[0038]

[0056] In another embodiment, the charging current is supplied to one of the output connection parts 141 to 144 until the charging current drops below a threshold amount (e.g., 50 percent of the peak), the charging current to that output connection part is stopped, switched to another output connection part among the output connection parts, and charging is resumed until the charging current drops below the threshold amount again (additional details are provided below in the example of FIG. 10).

[0039]

[0057] Referring still to the example of FIG. 1, in one embodiment, for each of the output connection parts to which the charging current is connected to the EV, it is supplied to one output connection part at a time in a brute-force manner. For example, if the EV is connected to all of the output connection parts 141 to 144, the charging current is supplied to the output connection part 141, then to the output connection part 142, then to the output connection part 143, then to the output connection part 144, and then again to the output connection part 141, etc. (additional details are provided below in the example of FIG. 9).

[0040]

[0058] As described above, when the output connection part is not connected to the EV, or when the EV no longer needs charging, the output connection part is automatically omitted. However, the present invention is not so limited. For example, the output connection part can be designated as a priority connection part, in which case the charging current is supplied to the priority connection part more frequently or for a longer period than to other output connection parts. More specifically, if there are four output connection parts (1, 2, 3, and 4) used in the brute-force method, the charging sequence should be 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4, etc. (assuming the EV is connected to each of the output connection parts). If the output connection part 2 is designated as the priority connection part, then the charging sequence could be 1-2-3-2-4-2-1-2-3-2-4-2, etc., or 2-1-2-3-4-2-1-2-3-4-2, etc. (also assuming the EV is connected to each of the output connection parts in this case). The charging procedure or sequence is programmable and changeable. From the perspective of charging time, if the output connection part 2 is designated as the priority connection part, the charging time could be 30-60-30-30-30-60-30-30 (in minutes), etc. (a brute-force procedure, assuming the EV is connected to each of the output connection parts).

[0041]

[0059] As described above, in one embodiment, when there is no EV connected to the output connection part, the charging current is not supplied to the output connection part. In other words, the output connection part is omitted. In such an embodiment, before the charging current is supplied to the output connection part, the charging system is configured to detect whether an EV is connected to the output connection part (additional details are provided below in the example of FIG. 4). Therefore, in the example of FIG. 1, a check is made to determine whether an EV is connected to the output connection part 143. Then, since the EV 121 is connected to the output connection part 143, the charging current is supplied to the output connection part, the charging current to the output connection part 143 is stopped, a check is made to determine whether the EV is connected to the output connection part 144, then, since the EV 120 is connected to the output connection part 144, the charging current is supplied to the output connection part, the charging current to the output connection part 144 is stopped, a check is made to determine whether the EV is connected to the output connection part 141, since the EV is not connected to the output connection part 141, the charging current is not supplied to the output connection part, a check is made to determine whether the EV is connected to the output connection part 142, and so on.

[0042]

[0060] Also, as described above, in one embodiment, when the EV connected to the output connection part no longer requires charging, the charging current is not supplied to the output connection part. In such an embodiment, before the charging current is supplied to the output connection part, the charging system is configured to automatically determine whether the EV connected to the output connection part requires charging. For example, the charging signature or state of charge (SOC) of the EV can be provided by the EV or accessed by the charging system to determine whether the EV's battery is fully charged or charged to at least a threshold amount (see the description of FIG. 4 below). If the battery is fully or satisfactorily charged, the charging current is not supplied to the output connection part. In other words, the output connection part is omitted. Thus, in this embodiment, and referring to the example of FIG. 1, a check is made to determine whether an EV is connected to the output connection part 143 and whether the EV needs to be charged. Since the EV 121 is not connected to the output connection part 143, if that EV does not require charging, the charging current can be supplied to the output connection part 143. The charging current to the output connection part 143 is stopped, and then a check is made to determine whether another EV is connected to the output connection part 144 and whether that EV needs to be charged. Since the EV 120 is connected to the output connection part 144, if that EV requires charging, the charging current can be supplied to the output connection part 144. This process continues to the next output connection part until all output connection parts have been checked, and then returns to the first output connection part to start another cycle.

[0043]

[0061] The flowchart 200 in FIG. 2 shows a method for charging one or more EVs in an embodiment according to the present invention. In block 202, an output connection is selected or accessed. In block 204, it is determined whether there is a load (EV) present on the selected output connection. This determination can be made automatically. If not, the flowchart 200 returns to block 202 and another output connection is selected or accessed according to the charging sequence or procedure. If a load is present, the flowchart 200 proceeds to block 206. In block 206, a check is made to determine whether the EV needs charging. If so, the flowchart 200 proceeds to block 208. Otherwise, the flowchart returns to block 202 and another output connection is selected or accessed. In block 208, a charging current is supplied to the selected output connection. In block 210, it is determined whether a condition is satisfied. The condition may be, for example, that a time interval has ended or the charging current to the selected output connection has decreased to a threshold. If the condition is satisfied, in block 212, the charging current to the selected output connection is stopped, and then the flowchart 200 returns to block 202 and another output connection is selected or accessed according to the charging sequence or procedure. If the condition is not satisfied, the flowchart 200 returns to block 208 and the charging current to the selected output connection continues.

[0044]

[0062] FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing elements of a multi-vehicle charging system in an embodiment according to the present invention. Only a single power circuit is shown. However, the present invention is not so limited. In other words, a plurality of such systems can be implemented in parallel.

[0045]

[0063] In the example of FIG. 3, the main power is supplied from the electrical panel 302 (e.g., from the main AC power supply 130) to the controller 106 via the dedicated circuit 131, and the controller 106 can also be called a cyber switching block. The controller 106 communicates with a graphical user interface (GUI) 304 implemented on the computer system 1900 (the GUI will be further described in conjunction with FIGS. 14-18). The communication between the controller 106 and the computer system 1900 can be implemented using a wired and / or wireless connection, and can be performed directly and / or via the Internet or an intranet (e.g., Ethernet (registered trademark) or a local area network). In one embodiment, the controller 106 is within the charging stand 110. In another embodiment, the controller 106 is not within the charging stand 110 but communicates with the charging stand.

[0046]

[0064] In the example of FIG. 3, the controller 106 has four channels, channels 1, 2, 3, and 4 (1-4). Depending on the implementation, each channel can be connected to a respective charging stand, or each channel can be connected to a respective output connection. This will be further described in conjunction with FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0047]

[0065] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the elements of the controller 106 in an embodiment according to the present invention. In the example of FIG. 4, the controller 106 includes a processor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU)) 402 that can be connected to the computer system 1900 and the GUI 304 via a communication interface 404, and the communication interface 404 can perform wireless and / or wired communication as described above. The controller 106 can be implemented on a single printed circuit board (PCB) having a low voltage side (e.g., including the CPU) and a separate high voltage side (main power side). In one embodiment, the processor 402 is powered by a separate low voltage (e.g., 5 volts) power supply 406. In one embodiment, the controller 106 includes a memory 401, and the memory 401 can be used, for example, to store information related to a charging event.

[0048]

[0066] The main AC power supply 130 is connected to each of channels 1-4 by respective relays R or switches that are individually controlled by the processor 402. As described herein, by turning the relays or switches on and off, a charging current is supplied to a first one of the channels, then the charging current to the first one of the channels is turned off, and then the charging current is supplied to a second one of the channels, and so on. More specifically, for example, the charging current can be supplied to a first one of the channels, turned off when a time interval has elapsed or a charging threshold has been reached, and then supplied to a second one of the channels, and so on. Also, in various embodiments, the charging current is supplied to one channel at a time in a round-robin fashion to each of the channels and / or a channel is designated as a priority channel, in which case the charging current is supplied to the priority channel more frequently than to the other channels. Many different charging sequences or procedures can be used.

[0049]

[0067] In one embodiment, each of channels 1-4 includes a respective current sensor CT and a respective voltage sensor VS. Accordingly, the controller 106 can detect whether an electrical load (e.g., an EV) is connected to the channel before the charging current is supplied to the channel. In one embodiment, the controller 106 can also detect a charging signature of the EV connected to the channel before the charging current is supplied to the channel. If the charging signature indicates that the EV no longer needs charging (e.g., the EV is fully charged), the charging current is not supplied to the channel.

[0050]

[0068] In one embodiment, the controller 106 can also automatically determine whether a channel is already drawing current before the charging current is supplied to the channel. If so, the controller indicates a fault condition (actually, the possibility of a fault condition is indicated). For example, an alert can be displayed on the GUI 304. Then, a diagnosis can be performed to determine whether an actual fault condition exists, and if so, corrective measures can be taken.

[0051]

[0069] In one embodiment, the controller 106 can also automatically determine whether a channel is drawing more current than it should be, and if so, the controller indicates a fault condition. For example, if the maximum current to be drawn is 32 amperes and a larger number of amperes is detected, a fault condition is indicated. For example, an alert can be displayed on the GUI 304. Then, a diagnosis can be performed to determine whether an actual fault condition exists, and if so, corrective measures can be taken.

[0052]

[0070] In one embodiment, at the end of each cycle after all of channels 1 - 4 are completed, a check is made to ensure that the channels are not drawing current. If a channel is drawing current, all relays are opened, then all channels are turned off, and the check is completed again to ensure that no current is being drawn. Once it is confirmed that all channels are clear, the multi - vehicle charging process can be restarted.

[0053]

[0071] In one embodiment, when any power - related fault or problem is detected, the channels are automatically stopped. In one embodiment, when a channel is stopped (either automatically or manually), the check for the load on the channel is ignored until the channel is manually turned on again.

[0054]

[0072] FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing an example of an implementation form of a multi-vehicle charging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the example of FIG. 5, the charging stand 110 is connected to an electrical panel (main AC power supply 130) via a single (dedicated) circuit 131 and is also connected to the controller 106. In one embodiment, the controller 106 is incorporated in the charging stand 110. Each of channels 1 to 4 of the controller 106 is connected to each of output connection portions 541, 542, 543, and 544 (541 to 544), which are then connected to heads 511, 512, 513, and 514 (511 to 514), respectively. In this implementation form, the controller 106 guides the charging current to the output connection portions 541 to 544 one by one at a time as described above, and thus also guides the charging current to the heads 511 to 514 one by one at a time.

[0055]

[0073] The embodiment of FIG. 5 can be reproduced such that the multi-vehicle charging system forms part of a network of a plurality of charging stands, each charging stand can charge a plurality of EVs, and each charging stand has its own dedicated circuit from the electrical panel.

[0056]

[0074] FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing an example of another implementation form of a multi-vehicle charging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the example of FIG. 6, the controller 106 is connected to an electrical panel (main AC power supply 130) via a single (dedicated) circuit 131. Each of channels 1 to 4 of the controller 106 is connected to each of charging stands 611, 612, 613, and 614 (611 to 614), which are then connected to heads 651, 652, 653, and 654 (651 to 654) via respective output connection portions 641, 642, 643, or 644 (641 to 644), respectively. In the implementation form of FIG. 6, the controller 106 guides the charging current to channels 1 to 4 one by one at a time, and thus also guides the charging current to charging stands 611 to 614 one by one at a time, and thus also guides the charging current to output connection portions 641 to 644 and heads 651 to 654 one by one at a time.

[0057]

[0075] The implementation form of FIG. 6 can be reproduced such that a plurality of vehicle charging systems form part of a network of a plurality of charging stands, the plurality of charging stands are connected to a single controller, and each controller has its own dedicated circuit from an electrical panel.

[0058]

[0076] FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram showing an example of an implementation form of a plurality of vehicle charging systems in an embodiment according to the present invention. The implementation form of FIG. 7 is the same as the implementation form of FIG. 5, except that the charging stand 110 has at least one output connection part (for example, output connection part 741) having more than one (for example, two) heads 751 and 752. In one embodiment, the controller 106 is incorporated in the charging stand 110.

[0059]

[0077] In the implementation form of FIG. 7, the controller 106 guides the charging current to the output connection parts 741, 542, 543, and 544 one by one at a time, as described in this specification. When the charging current is guided to the output connection part 741, the charging current is divided between the heads 751 and 752. For example, one of the heads receives about half of the charging current, and the other head receives the remainder of the charging current. When the maximum charging current is 32 amperes, the heads 751 and 752 each receive about 16 amperes. In this way, two EVs can be charged simultaneously even if the charging current is supplied to only one output connection part at a time.

[0060]

[0078] FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram showing an example of another implementation form of a multi-vehicle charging system in an embodiment according to the present invention. The embodiment of FIG. 8 is the same as the embodiment of FIG. 6, except that at least one of the channels in the controller 106 (for example, channel 1) is connected to two charging stands 610 and 611. The charging stand 610 is connected to an output connection part 840, the output connection part 840 is connected to a head 850, the charging stand 611 is connected to an output connection part 641, and the output connection part 641 is connected to a head 642. In this embodiment, the controller 106 guides the charging current to one channel at a time for channels 1 to 4. However, when the charging current is guided to channel 1, the charging current can be divided between the charging stands 610 and 611, and thus, finally, the charging current to channel 1 can be divided between the output connection parts 840 and 641, and thus, between the heads 850 and 651. Thus, for example, when an EV is connected to the heads 850 and 651, one of the heads receives about half of the charging current through channel 1, and the other head receives the rest of the charging current. In this way, two EVs can be charged simultaneously even when the charging current is supplied only to the channels at a time.

[0061]

[0079] Any combination of the implementation forms of FIGS. 5, 6, 7, and 8 can be deployed within the same multi-vehicle charging network.

[0062]

[0080] FIG. 9 shows an example of multi-vehicle charging in a charging stand having a plurality of output connection parts in an embodiment according to the present disclosure. Four output connection parts and vehicles are shown. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0063]

[0081] In the example of FIG. 9, sequential charging is performed at 30-minute intervals. However, the present invention is not limited to the use of 30-minute intervals, nor is it limited to each vehicle being charged for the same length of time.

[0064]

[0082] In the example of FIG. 9, vehicle 1 is charged for up to 30 minutes (if vehicle 1 is fully charged in less than 30 minutes, charging can be stopped earlier). Charging stops after 30 minutes, the output connector to vehicle 1 is turned off, and the next output connector is checked to determine whether it is connected to a load (e.g., another vehicle). In this example, a load is detected (vehicle 2), so the output connector of vehicle 2 is turned on, vehicle 2 is charged for up to 30 minutes, then charging stops, and the connector to vehicle 2 is turned off. The next output connector is checked to determine whether it is connected to a load. In this example, a load is detected (vehicle 3), but the charging signature indicates that vehicle 3 is fully charged, so the connector to vehicle 3 is turned off and vehicle 3 is skipped. The next output connector is checked to determine whether it is connected to a load. In this example, a load is detected (vehicle 4), so the output connector of vehicle 4 is turned on, vehicle 4 is charged for up to 30 minutes, then charging stops, and the connector to vehicle 4 is turned off. Then, this charging cycle returns to the output connector of vehicle 1, and the cycle continues until each vehicle is fully charged as described above. At any point, a vehicle can be disconnected and replaced with another vehicle. If a vehicle is not connected to the output connector, its position in the cycle is skipped.

[0065]

[0083] FIG. 10 is a graph showing an example of an EV charging signature used to manage charging in an embodiment according to the present invention (amount of charging current supplied to the EV versus time). At time t0, the charging current is turned on and increases to its maximum value (100 percent). The maximum value may be, for example, 16 amperes or 32 amperes depending on the type of EV (e.g., level 2 or level 3). That is, one EV (level 2) is configured for a 16 - ampere charging current, while another EV (level 3) is configured for a 32 - ampere charging current. Generally, the charging stand 110 or the controller 106 (FIG. 4) can determine which type of EV is connected to the charging system and then supply the correct number of amperes.

[0066]

[0084] Continuing with the example of FIG. 10, after a certain period at 100 percent, the EV is almost fully charged and the charging current begins to decrease. At time t1, the decreasing charging current has reached a threshold value (e.g., 50 percent).

[0067]

[0085] In one embodiment, the charging current at each head (or output connection or channel) is monitored. In such an embodiment, when the charging current decreases to a pre-set threshold value (e.g., 50 percent as in the example of FIG. 10), the charging current is stopped and the charging current is switched to another head (or output connection or channel). For the example of FIG. 9, instead of turning off the charging current to the output connection when the time interval has ended or when the EV is fully charged, the charging current is turned off when it has decreased to the threshold value.

[0068]

[0086] The charging signature can also be used to automatically determine whether the EV is fully charged. For example, if the charging current to a head (or output connection or channel) is turned on at time t0 but does not stabilize after a pre-set amount of time has elapsed (t2), the charging current is turned off and switched to another head (or output connection or channel).

[0069]

[0087] FIGS. 11, 12, and 13 are flowcharts 1100, 1200, and 1300, respectively, showing examples of operations for monitoring and managing a network of EV charging stands in embodiments according to the present invention. Since the details of these operations have already been described above, they will be generally described below.

[0070]

[0088] The flowchart 1100 of FIG. 11 can be implemented in a multi-vehicle charging system such as those shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7, and 8. In block 1102, referring also to FIGS. 5-8, a voltage is received at the controller (106) from the power supply device (130) via the dedicated circuit (131).

[0071]

[0089] In block 1104, when the first EV is connected to the head of the first output connection (e.g., 511), the charging current generated using the voltage is directed to the first output connection (e.g., 541).

[0072]

[0090] In block 1106, the charging current to the first output connection is stopped.

[0073]

[0091] In block 1108, after the charging current to the first output connection is stopped, when the second EV is connected to the head of the second output connection (e.g., 512), the charging current is directed to the second output connection (e.g., 542). In one embodiment, the charging current is directed to the first output connection over a first time interval, stopped when the first interval ends, and then directed to the second output connection over a second time interval. In one embodiment, the charging current is directed to the first output connection until the charging current drops to a threshold number of amperes, stopped when the threshold is reached, and then directed to the second output connection.

[0074]

[0092] In one embodiment, in blocks 1140 and 1108, a determination is made as to whether the charging current should be supplied before the charging current is supplied to the output connection.

[0075]

[0093] In one embodiment, in blocks 1104 and 1108, a determination is made as to whether there is an electrical load connected to the output connection before the charging current is supplied to the output connection. In this embodiment, if there is no electrical load, the charging current is not directed to the output connection.

[0076]

[0094] In one embodiment, in blocks 1104 and 1108, before the charging current is supplied to the output connection, a determination is made as to whether the EV connected to the output connection further requires charging (e.g., is fully charged). For example, the charging signature of the EV can be used to determine whether the EV is fully charged. In this embodiment, if the EV does not further require charging, the charging current is not supplied to the output connection.

[0077]

[0095] In one embodiment, in blocks 1104 and 1108, before the charging current is supplied to the output connection, a determination is made as to whether the output connection is already drawing current and whether a fault condition is indicated when the output connection is drawing current before the charging current is supplied.

[0078]

[0096] The flowchart 1200 of FIG. 12 can be executed by a controller (106) including a processor 402 and several channels (1-4) as described in conjunction with FIG. 4. In block 1202, the charging current generated from the input power supply (130) is directed to the first channel of the channels.

[0079]

[0097] In block 1204, the charging current to the first channel is turned off. In various embodiments, the charging current is turned off when a time interval has elapsed or when the amperage of the charging current has decreased to a specific threshold.

[0080]

[0098] In block 1206, after the charging current to the first channel is turned off, the charging current is directed from the input power supply to the second channel of the channels.

[0081]

[0099] Referring also to FIG. 1, flowchart 1300 of FIG. 13 shows a method of charging one or more EVs at a charging stand (110). At block 1302, the voltage from the power supply device (130) is received at the input (108) of the charging stand via a dedicated circuit (131). The charging stand includes several output cables or connectors (141-144), each of which is connected to at least one head (111-114).

[0082]

[0100] At block 1304, when multiple EVs are simultaneously connected to the charging stand via the heads, the charging current is supplied to only one of the output cables at a time. The charging current is supplied to the first output cable among the output cables, then the charging current is stopped, switched to the second output cable among the output cables, and charging is resumed.

[0083]

[0101] FIGS. 14, 15, 16, and 17 show examples of displays that constitute selected elements of the GUI 304 (FIG. 3) rendered on the display device 1912 in embodiments according to the present invention. The displays shown in these examples may be full-screen displays, or they may be windows in a full-screen display. The displays can be displayed individually, or multiple displays can be displayed simultaneously (e.g., adjacent to each other). The displays illustrated and described below are merely examples intended to show some of the functions of the GUI 304. The present invention is not limited to these types or configurations of displays.

[0084]

[0102] The GUI 304 is a browser-based interface that utilizes the latest basic functions of a browser with additional functions added to manage and monitor a multi-vehicle charging system or network including one or more charging stands such as those described previously herein. Each charging stand, output connection, and / or head can be monitored and controlled (programmed) via the network.

[0085]

[0103] Furthermore, part or all of the GUI 304 can be accessed remotely from another computer system or device such as a smartphone, or information from the GUI can be transferred to a remote device such as another computer system and smartphone. Also, in one embodiment, information from a smartphone or computer system including a computer system on an EV or an intelligent device of a similar type is received and used via a browser-based interface, for example, to control charging or to provide billing information to the owner or administrator of the EV charging system.

[0086]

[0104] In one embodiment, the display 1400 essentially includes a rendering of a map showing the network of charging stations 1-5, represented by GUI elements 1401, 1402, 1403, 1404, and 1405 (1401-1405), respectively. The charging stations 1-5 can be exemplified by any of the charging stations described herein. In one embodiment, the display 1400 shows the location of the charging stations relative to each other and to landmarks in the immediate vicinity (e.g., Building A), as well as the approximate arrangement of the charging stations in the parking lot. It is also possible to specify priority charging stations (stations with priority connections or channels) on the map. In the example of FIG. 14, the letter "P" is placed in proximity to a charging station that includes a priority connection or channel. As described above, the information included in the display 1400 can be sent to a remote device such as a smartphone or accessed by a remote device such as a smartphone. Thus, the driver can determine the arrangement of the charging stations in the network. Also, in one embodiment, the GUI elements 1401-1405 can be used to indicate which of the charging stations have, or are likely to have, available output connections. In the example of FIG. 14, the GUI element 1401 is shaded to indicate that it may have an available output connection.

[0087]

[0105] The GUI elements 1401 to 1405 can be individually selected (for example, by clicking on one of them using a mouse or by touching one of them on a touch screen). When one of the GUI elements (for example, the element 1401 corresponding to Stand 1) is selected, the display 1500 in FIG. 15 is displayed on the display device 1912. The display 1500 includes GUI elements 1501, 1502, 1503, and 1504 (1501 to 1504) representing the output connection parts 141 to 144 of the selected charging stand and a GUI element 1510 identifying the selected charging stand.

[0088]

[0106] Using the GUI elements 1501 to 1504, it is possible to indicate which of the output connection parts are connected to the EV and which one of the output connection parts is currently supplying the charging current to the EV. In the example of FIG. 15, the GUI elements 1503 and 1504 are colored, brightened, or darkened to indicate that they are currently connected to the EV, and the GUI element 1503 is emphasized in some way (e.g., surrounded by the GUI element 1515) to indicate that the output connection part 143 of the stand 1 is currently supplying the charging current to the EV. In one embodiment, the GUI elements 1501 to 1504 include text to indicate the state of the respective output connection parts. For example, the word "active" can be displayed within the GUI element to indicate that the corresponding output connection part is being used to charge the EV, and the word "standby" can be displayed within the GUI element to indicate that the corresponding output connection part is available. Also, the priority output connection part can be identified in some way. In the example of FIG. 15, the letter "P" is placed in proximity to the GUI element 1504 to indicate that the output connection part 144 is the priority connection part. As described above, the information included in the display 1500 can be sent to a remote device such as a smartphone or accessed by a remote device such as a smartphone. Therefore, the driver can determine which charging stand in the network is in use and which one is available. Alternatively, a certain type of alert can be sent to the driver's device.

[0089]

[0107] In one embodiment, the display 1600 is opened and displayed on the display device 1912 by selecting (clicking or touching on) the GUI element 1510. The display 1600 displays information of each of the output connection parts 141 to 144 of the charging stand 1. For example, similar to what has been described above, the display 1600 can indicate the state of each of the output connection parts 141 to 144 in order to show which of the output connection parts is connected to the EV and which one of the output connection parts is supplying the charging current to the EV. Other information such as the voltage level and amperage of each output connection part, and the on / off state of each output connection part can also be displayed. Using the GUI elements 1611, 1612, 1613, and 1614, the user can individually turn off or on the output connection parts 141 to 144. Using a similar control mechanism, individual charging stands can be turned on and off, and individual heads can be turned on and off. The priority output connection part can also be specified in some way. In the example of FIG. 16, in order to indicate that the output connection part 144 is the priority connection part, the letter "P" is arranged close to the GUI element 1604.

[0090]

[0108] In one embodiment, the display 1600 includes GUI elements 1601, 1602, 1603, and 1604 (1601 - 1604) of the output connection parts 141 - 144 respectively. The GUI elements 1601 - 1604 can be individually selected (for example, by clicking on one of them using a mouse or by touching one of them). When one of the GUI elements (for example, the element 1603 corresponding to the output connection part 143) is selected, the display 1700 of FIG. 17 is displayed on the display device 1912. In one embodiment, the display 1700 includes a graph 1710 (charging signature) showing the amperage over time of the output connection part 143. As described above, the information included in the display 1700 can be sent to a remote device such as a smartphone or accessed by a remote device such as a smartphone. Thus, using the charging signature, the driver can determine whether their vehicle has finished charging.

[0091]

[0109] In one embodiment, the display 1700 also includes a log 1720. The log 1720 can display information such as a continuous log of events with the latest event at the top. The events can include alerts, state changes, user - initiated changes, device additions, and changes added by events for each charging station, output connection part, and / or channel. The log 1720 or a separate log can include information such as charging data (charging signature) for each charge and the amperage drawn over time for the charging station, output connection part, and / or head. The charging data can include the length of each charging cycle (for example, when charging of the EV is started and when it ends for each output connection part). The charging data can be used to identify and implement better charging and cycle durations.

[0092]

[0110] Referring also to FIG. 14, when selected, the GUI 304 can be used to open a display or window that allows a user to edit charging stand settings such as the length of the charging interval for each output connection, set thresholds such as the charging threshold (FIG. 10) described above, set alert thresholds and functions, and define additional information such as charging stand name / labels, descriptions, and placement. The GUI 304 can include a settings tab. The GUI 304 can also include a user tab that can be used to grant permissions as to which users can use the multi-vehicle charging system and which users are currently using the system.

[0093]

[0111] The GUI 304 can indicate alerts in any number of different ways. For example, GUI elements (not shown) can be displayed on the display 1400, or the GUI elements 1401-1405 associated with the charging stand that is experiencing a possible fault condition can be changed in some way (e.g., change in color). Similarly, the GUI elements 1501-1504 associated with the output connection that is experiencing a possible fault condition can be changed in some way (e.g., change in color). The alert can also be an audible alert.

[0094]

[0112] FIG. 18 is a flowchart 1800 showing an example of operations associated with monitoring and managing a network of EV charging stands in an embodiment according to the present invention. Since the details of these operations have already been described above, they will be generally described below.

[0095]

[0113] In block 1802, referring to FIG. 14, a GUI (304) including GUI elements (1401-1405) for each charging stand in the network is generated.

[0096]

[0114] In block 1804, a selection of a GUI element of the charging stand is received.

[0097]

[0115] In block 1806, a GUI element is displayed that identifies which output connection of the charging stand is receiving the charging current based on information received from the charging stand's network.

[0098]

[0116] In block 1808, in response to a command received via the GUI (i.e., in response to the user's interaction with the GUI), the components of the network (e.g., the charging stand itself, and / or the output connections and heads of the charging stand) are individually turned on and off.

[0099]

[0117] In block 1810, information indicating the availability of the charging stand and / or the output connections and / or the heads is sent to another device such as a smartphone.

[0100]

[0118] Accordingly, embodiments in accordance with the present invention include, but are not limited to, the following features. That is, multiple physical charging stands / connections per circuit, sequential (e.g., brute force) charging, and automatic charging of multiple vehicles without user intervention.

[0101]

[0119] Since only a single circuit is used for multiple charging stands / connections, costs are reduced. In other words, for example, there is no need to pay for a dedicated circuit for each charging stand. New charging stands can be added at a reduced cost per stand. More charging stands can be installed at the same cost. Existing infrastructure (e.g., existing circuits) can be easily modified to accommodate multiple charging stands instead of a single stand.

[0102]

[0120] As the number of charging stands increases, vehicle charging becomes more convenient. For example, the vehicle does not have to be moved as frequently. From the perspective of employees, the availability of convenient charging stands at the workplace is an advantage. From the perspective of employees, the availability of convenient charging stands encourages employees to stay at work a little longer to obtain free charging, and in addition, employees do not have to move their cars as frequently, so there is a possibility that employee productivity will increase.

[0103]

[0121] FIG. 19 is a block diagram of an example of a computing device or computer system 1910 that can implement an embodiment according to the present invention. Device 1910 broadly includes any single or multi-processor computing device or system capable of executing computer-readable instructions, such as those described in conjunction with FIGS. 2, 11, 12, 13, and 18. In its most basic configuration, device 1910 can include at least one processing circuit (e.g., processor 1914) and at least one non-volatile storage medium (e.g., memory 1916).

[0104]

[0122] Processor 1914 in FIG. 19 generally represents any type or form of processing device or circuit capable of processing data or interpreting and executing instructions. In one embodiment, processor 1914 can receive instructions from a software application or module (e.g., application 1940). These instructions enable processor 1914 to perform one or more of the functions of the example embodiments described and / or shown above.

[0105]

[0123] System memory 1916 generally represents any type or form of volatile or non-volatile storage device or medium capable of storing data and / or other computer-readable instructions. Examples of system memory 1916 include, without limitation, RAM, ROM, flash memory, or any other suitable memory device. In one embodiment, system memory 1916 includes cache 1920.

[0106]

[0124] In addition to the processor 1914 and the system memory 1916, the device 1910 can also include one or more components or elements. For example, the device 1910 can include memory devices, input / output (I / O) devices such as a keyboard and a mouse (not shown), and a communication interface 1918, each of which can be interconnected via a communication infrastructure (e.g., a bus). The device 1910 can also include a display device 1912 that is generally configured to display a GUI (e.g., the GUI displays of FIGS. 14, 15, 16, and 17). The display device 1912 can also include a touch sensing device (e.g., a touch screen).

[0107]

[0125] The communication interface 1918 broadly represents any type or form of communication device or adapter that can facilitate communication between the device 1910 and one or more other devices. The communication interface 1918 can include, for example, a receiver and a transmitter that can be used to receive and transmit (wired or wirelessly) information such as information from and to a charging stand in a plurality of vehicle charging systems or network, and information from and to other devices such as a smartphone or another computer system.

[0108]

[0126] Device 1910 can execute application 1940 that can perform operations (e.g., the operations of FIGS. 11, 12, 13, and 18) including the operations and functions described herein. A computer program including application 1940 can be loaded into device 1910. For example, all or a part of a computer program stored in a computer-readable medium can be stored in memory 1916. When executed by processor 1914, the computer program enables the processor to perform the functions of the exemplary embodiments described and / or shown herein and / or to be the means for performing them. Further, alternatively, the exemplary embodiments described and / or shown herein can be implemented in firmware and / or hardware.

[0109]

[0127] Application 1940 can include various software modules that implement the functions described herein. For example, the application can include a user management module 1941, a system management module 1942, and a GUI module 1943. The user management module 1941 can perform functions such as granting users the right to use multiple vehicle charging networks, authenticating users, measuring the power consumed by each user, and optionally setting up user accounts to bill users, but is not limited thereto. The system management module 1942 can monitor the availability and functionality of network components such as circuits, channels, output connections, heads, and charging stands, control such components (e.g., turn them on and off), monitor charging signatures and charging periods (e.g., for performing charging in a brute-force manner as described herein), collect and log network information, and perform diagnostics, but is not limited thereto. The GUI module 1943 can generate a GUI that can be accessed by a network administrator, accessed by other devices such as smartphones, or transferred to other devices, but is not limited thereto.

[0110]

[0128] The foregoing disclosure describes various embodiments using specific block diagrams, flowcharts, and examples. However, the components of each block diagram, the steps, operations, and / or components described and / or shown herein can be implemented individually and / or collectively using a wide range of hardware, software, or firmware (or any combination thereof) configurations. Further, any disclosure of components included within other components should be considered as an example, as many other architectures can be implemented to achieve the same functionality.

[0111]

[0129] The process parameters and sequences of the steps described and / or illustrated in this specification are given by way of example only and can be varied as desired. For example, the steps shown and / or described in this specification can be shown or described in a particular order, but these steps need not necessarily be performed in the order shown or described. The various method examples described and / or illustrated in this specification can omit one or more of the steps described or illustrated herein, or can include additional steps in addition to those disclosed.

[0112]

[0130] Although various embodiments have been described and / or illustrated herein in the context of a fully functional computing system, one or more of these example embodiments can be distributed as a program product in a variety of forms regardless of the particular type of computer-readable medium actually used to execute the distribution. The embodiments disclosed herein can also be implemented using software modules that perform a task. These software modules can include scripts, batches, or other executable files stored on a computer-readable storage medium or stored in a computing system. These software modules can configure a computing system to implement one or more of the example embodiments disclosed herein. One or more of the software modules disclosed herein can be implemented in a cloud computing environment. A cloud computing environment can provide various services and applications over the Internet. These cloud-based services (e.g., storage as a service, software as a service, platform as a service, infrastructure as a service, etc.) can be accessible through a web browser or other remote interface. The various functions described herein can be provided through a remote desktop environment or any other cloud-based computing environment.

[0113]

[0131] Although the subject matter has been described in a language specific to structural features and / or methodological operations, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in this disclosure is not necessarily limited to the specific features or operations described above. Rather, the specific features and operations described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing this disclosure.

[0114]

[0132] Embodiments according to the present invention have been described in this way. Although this disclosure has been described in specific embodiments, it should be understood that the present invention should not be construed as being limited by such embodiments, but rather should be construed by the following claims.

Claims

1. 1. A method of charging one or more electric vehicles (EVs), the method comprising: receiving an alternating current (AC) charging current from a power source through a dedicated circuit on a high voltage side of a printed circuit board including a controller and a processor, the printed circuit board also including a low voltage side receiving power from a second power source to power the processor, the low voltage side receiving a lower voltage than the high voltage side; and directing the charging current from the high voltage side of the printed circuit board to a plurality of output connections, said step of directing the charging current from the high voltage side of the printed circuit board comprising: directing the charging current to a first output connection of the plurality of output connections; determining a state of charge of an electric vehicle connected to a first output head connected to the first output connection; and when the state of charge of the electric vehicle exceeds a predetermined charge threshold, stopping the charging current being directed to the first output connection and directing the charging current to a second output connection.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined charge threshold is reached when the electric vehicle is approximately half charged.

3. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining a state of charge of an electric vehicle connected to a first output head connected to the first output connection includes accessing an EV charging signature of the electric vehicle.

4. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined charge threshold is reached when the electric vehicle is charged within approximately 60-80% based on the EV charging signature of the electric vehicle.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the predetermined charging threshold is reached when the electric vehicle is approximately 90% charged based on the EV charging signature of the electric vehicle.

6. 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of: stopping the charging current being conducted to the second output connection and conducting the charging current to a third output connection when the state of charge of a second electric vehicle connected to a second output head connected to the second output connection exceeds the predetermined charging threshold based on the EV charging signature of the electric vehicle.

7. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of ceasing the charging current being conducted to the first output connection after a time threshold regardless of the state of charge.

8. determining that a plurality of electric vehicles are connected to the plurality of output connections; charging the plurality of electric vehicles one at a time in a round robin manner until each electric vehicle of the plurality of electric vehicles reaches the predetermined charging threshold; The method of claim 1 further comprising:

9. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining whether there is an electrical load connected to the first output connection before the charging current is provided to the first output connection, and wherein the charging current is not directed to the first output connection if there is no electrical load connected to the output connection.

10. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first output connection is further connected to a second output head, and the first output connection is operable to split the charging current between the first output head and the second output head when the first head and the second head are simultaneously connected to an electric vehicle below the predetermined charging threshold.

11. 1. An electric vehicle (EV) charging system comprising a controller and a plurality of output connections, the controller comprises a central processing unit and is implemented on a single printed circuit board, the printed circuit board also comprising a low voltage side operable to power the central processing unit (CPU), the printed circuit board also comprising a high voltage side operable to receive an alternating current (AC) charging current provided from an AC power source via a dedicated circuit, the central processing unit receives power from a low voltage power source, the low voltage power source is separate from and not powered by the AC power source, the voltage provided by the low voltage power source is lower than the voltage provided by the AC power source, The plurality of output connection parts are connected to the controller, and each of the output connection parts is connectable to at least one head of a plurality of heads connectable to an electric vehicle, and the controller: conducting the AC charging current from the high voltage side of the printed circuit board to the first one of the output connections when a first electric vehicle is connected to a head connected to a first one of the output connections; determining a state of charge of an electric vehicle connected to a first output head connected to the first output connection; 1. An electric vehicle charging system operable to discontinue the charging current being directed to the first output connection and direct the charging current to a second output connection when the state of charge of the electric vehicle exceeds a predetermined charging threshold.

12. 12. The electric vehicle charging system of claim 11, wherein the controller is also operable to discontinue the charging current being conducted to the first output connection after a threshold time has elapsed.

13. 12. The electric vehicle charging system of claim 11, wherein determining that the state of charge of the first electric vehicle is above a threshold includes the controller accessing an EV charging signature of the electric vehicle.

14. 14. The electric vehicle charging system of claim 13, wherein the predetermined charging threshold is reached when the electric vehicle is approximately half charged based on the EV charging signature of the electric vehicle.

15. 14. The electric vehicle charging system of claim 13, wherein the predetermined charge threshold is reached when the electric vehicle is charged within approximately 60-80% based on the EV charging signature of the electric vehicle.

16. 14. The electric vehicle charging system of claim 13, wherein the predetermined charging threshold is reached when the electric vehicle is approximately 90% charged based on the EV charging signature of the electric vehicle.

17. 12. The electric vehicle charging system of claim 11, wherein the controller is also operable to discontinue the charging current being conducted to the first output connection after 30 minutes, regardless of the state of charge.

18. 12. The electric vehicle charging system of claim 11, wherein the controller is operable to stop the charging current being conducted to the second output connection and to conduct the charging current to a third output connection when the state of charge of an electric vehicle connected to a second output head connected to the second output connection exceeds the predetermined charge threshold.

19. The controller, determining that a plurality of electric vehicles are connected to the plurality of output connections; 12. The electric vehicle charging system of claim 11, further operable to charge the electric vehicles of the plurality of electric vehicles one at a time in a round robin manner until each electric vehicle of the plurality of electric vehicles reaches the predetermined charging threshold.

20. 12. The electric vehicle charging system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further operable to determine whether there is an electrical load connected to the first output connection before the charging current is provided to the first output connection, and to prevent the charging current from being directed to the first output connection if there is no electrical load connected to the first output connection.

21. 1. A method of charging one or more electric vehicles (EVs), the method comprising: receiving an alternating current (AC) charging current from a power source through a dedicated circuit on a high voltage side of a printed circuit board including a controller and a processor, the printed circuit board also including a low voltage side receiving power from a second power source to power the processor, the low voltage side receiving a lower voltage than the high voltage side; and directing the charging current from the high voltage side of the printed circuit board to a plurality of output connections, said step of directing the charging current from the high voltage side of the printed circuit board comprising: directing the charging current to a first output connection of the plurality of output connections; determining that a state of charge of an electric vehicle connected to a first output head connected to the first output connection is above a predetermined charge threshold; determining that the electric vehicle connected to the first output connection is the only electric vehicle connected to any of the plurality of output connections; and continuing to charge the electric vehicle beyond the predetermined charging threshold in response to determining that the electric vehicle connected to the first output connection is the only electric vehicle connected to any of the plurality of output connections.

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