Vehicle charging system and vehicle charging method

Abstract

To perform charging with an equal distribution method, with an equal charge allocation amount in the normal mode, but charge some connected vehicles with a larger charge allocation amount than other vehicles by changing the mode.SOLUTION: A vehicle charging system capable of charging multiple vehicles includes at least one charging device used to charge the vehicles and a control unit that controls the amount of charge allocated to the vehicles connected to the charging device. On the basis of an input signal, the control unit is configured to be able to switch between a normal mode in which the amount of charge allocated for vehicle charging is evenly distributed to each of multiple vehicles connected to one or more charging devices, and a priority mode in which a specific vehicle is charged with a larger amount of charge than other vehicles.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle charging system and a vehicle charging method. [Background technology]

[0002] As described in Patent Document 1, when charging a plurality of vehicles, an equal distribution method is known in which each vehicle is charged with an equal amount of charge allocated to it. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-99950

[0004] The equal distribution method is desirable in that it does not bias charging towards some vehicles, but rather charges all vehicles equally. However, on the other hand, it does not allow for urgent charging of some vehicles. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The inventors of the present invention have conducted extensive research into this issue and have attempted to solve it. The problem that the present invention aims to solve is to change the charging mode so that some connected vehicles are charged with a larger charge allocation than other vehicles, while in normal mode charging is performed with an equal charge allocation amount using an equal distribution method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, a vehicle charging system capable of charging multiple vehicles is provided, which includes at least one charging device used to charge the vehicles and a control unit that controls the amount of charge allocated to the vehicles connected to the charging device, and the control unit is capable of switching, based on an input signal, between a normal mode in which the charge allocated for vehicle charging is evenly distributed to each of multiple vehicles connected to one or more charging devices, and a priority mode in which a specific vehicle is charged with a larger amount of charge than other vehicles.

[0007] In addition, it is preferable that the control unit be configured to be able to control, in priority mode, the remaining charging amount, obtained by subtracting the charging amount allocated to a specific vehicle from the charging amount allocated for vehicle charging, to be evenly distributed to other vehicles other than the specific vehicle for charging.

[0008] In addition, it is preferable that the control unit be configured to be able to switch from the priority mode to the normal mode when charging of a specific vehicle that is charged with a larger amount of charge than other vehicles is completed.

[0009] Furthermore, it is preferable that the vehicle charging method is for charging multiple vehicles using at least one charging device, and uses an input signal to switch between a normal mode in which the charging allocation amount allocated for vehicle charging is evenly distributed to multiple vehicles connected to one or more charging devices, and a priority mode in which a specific vehicle among the multiple vehicles connected to the charging device is charged with a larger charging allocation amount than other vehicles. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] In the present invention, in normal mode, charging is performed with an equal charge allocation amount using an equal distribution method, but by changing the mode, it is possible to charge some connected vehicles with a greater charge allocation amount than other vehicles. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 10 is an image diagram showing instructions issued from a control unit to a plurality of charging devices used to charge a vehicle. [Figure 2] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of a change in the charge allocation amount of each vehicle when switching between a normal mode and a wired mode. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] An embodiment of the invention is described below. As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2 , a vehicle charging system according to this embodiment is capable of charging multiple vehicles. The vehicle charging system includes at least one charging device 2 used to charge the vehicles and a control unit 3 that controls the amount of charge allocated to the vehicles connected to the charging device 2. Based on an input signal, the control unit 3 can switch between a normal mode in which the vehicle charging amount allocated to the multiple vehicles connected to one or more charging devices 2 is evenly distributed to each vehicle, and a priority mode in which a specific vehicle is charged with a larger amount of charge than other vehicles. Therefore, in the normal mode, charging is performed with an equal amount of charge allocated using the equal distribution method. However, by changing the mode, it is possible to charge some connected vehicles with a larger amount of charge allocated than other vehicles.

[0013] This vehicle charging system is capable of charging multiple vehicles. The vehicle charging system of this embodiment includes a charging device 2 that charges vehicles, and a control unit 3 that controls the charging device 2. The control unit 3 may control only one charging device 2 that can charge multiple vehicles, or the control unit 3 may issue instructions to multiple charging devices 2 to control charging for multiple vehicles. In either case, the control unit 3 is capable of changing the operation of the charging device 2. The control unit 3 may be provided inside a distribution panel that distributes power to the charging device 2, or may be provided inside the charging device 2. Furthermore, a control device including the control unit 3 may be provided separately from the distribution panel and the charging device 2.

[0014] The system of the embodiment is capable of charging multiple vehicles managed by the control unit 3 in a normal mode with an "equal charging allocation amount." The "equal charging allocation amount" is the amount of charging that occurs when the "charging allocation amount allocated for vehicle charging" is evenly distributed to the "vehicles requiring charging" connected to the charging device 2.

[0015] "Charging capacity allocated for vehicle charging" means the amount of all electricity per unit time when charging device 2 uses all of the electricity distributed and / or generated within the facility where charging device 2 is installed, but when the amount of distributed electricity is allocated and used with other equipment within the facility, for example, when charging device 2 is installed in a facility that has a factory, office, etc. within the facility, it means the amount of electricity per unit time allocated for vehicle charging.

[0016] "Vehicles requiring charging" means that vehicles that have finished charging even if they are connected to the charging device 2 (such as vehicles that are fully charged or vehicles that have finished charging for the time and amount set for charging) are excluded, as they do not need to be charged.

[0017] For example, if the charge allocation for vehicle charging is approximately 60 A and five vehicles connected to charging device 2 require charging, each vehicle will be charged at approximately 12 A. In contrast, if there are five vehicles connected to charging device 2 and one of them is fully charged, the four vehicles requiring charging will each be charged at approximately 15 A.

[0018] When an "input signal" is input to the "control unit 3" while charging in normal mode, the mode is switched from normal mode to "priority mode." Switching between normal mode and priority mode is performed by the user operating an external device. For example, the "input signal" can be input to the control unit 3 by operating application software on a terminal device (such as a PC, mobile device (smartphone, tablet device, etc.), or wearable device (smartwatch, etc.)) owned by the user of the charging device 2.

[0019] More specifically, a terminal device or the like connected to the control unit 3 so as to be able to communicate with the control unit 3 can be used to instruct the control unit 3 to start or end charging, set charging conditions, etc. For example, a terminal device or the like can be used to instruct the control unit 3 to start charging, and after charging has started in normal mode, an input signal to switch to priority mode can be sent to the control unit 3.

[0020] When the terminal device that notifies the control unit 3 of the start of charging and the terminal device that sends an input signal to switch to the priority mode are the same, the terminal device and the vehicle are already associated. Therefore, the setting change of the charging allocation amount can be easily performed. Note that even when the terminal device that notifies the control unit 3 of the start of charging and the terminal device that sends an input signal to switch to the priority mode are different, the setting change can be performed by associating the terminal device with the vehicle.

[0021] In "normal mode," the current supplied to each vehicle is controlled to be equal, but if you want to supply a higher current to a specific vehicle than to other vehicles, you can use "priority mode." In "priority mode," the amount of charge allocated to a specific vehicle is made greater than the amount of charge allocated to other vehicles.

[0022] For example, after the amount of charging allocated to a specific vehicle is determined, the amount of charging allocated to the specific vehicle is subtracted from the amount of charging allocated for vehicle charging, and the remaining amount of charging allocated is evenly distributed to other vehicles for charging, making it easy to determine the allocation of electricity in the "priority mode."

[0023] For example, suppose the charging capacity allocated for vehicle charging is approximately 60 A, and five vehicles connected to charging device 2 require charging, and each vehicle is charged at approximately 12 A in normal mode. If priority mode is applied in this state and one vehicle, vehicle A, is charged at approximately 30 A, the remaining four vehicles will be charged at approximately 7.5 A.

[0024] Also, assume that there are five vehicles connected to charging device 2, one of which is fully charged, and four vehicles are being charged at approximately 15 A in normal mode. In priority mode, if one vehicle, A, is charged at approximately 30 A, the remaining three vehicles will be charged at approximately 10 A.

[0025] As can be seen from these examples, it is preferable that the control unit 3 be configured to be able to control, in priority mode, the remaining charging allocation amount, obtained by subtracting the charging allocation amount for a specific vehicle from the charging allocation amount allocated for vehicle charging, to be distributed evenly to other vehicles other than the specific vehicle for charging.

[0026] When charging in priority mode, the amount of charge allocated to a specific vehicle may be any amount greater than the amount of charge allocated to other vehicles. However, it is preferable to charge the vehicle with the maximum amount of charge that can be allocated to the vehicle. The maximum amount of charge that can be allocated to the vehicle may be set based on the charging device 2 (the maximum amount of power that the charging device 2 can output) or may be set based on the vehicle (the maximum amount of power that the vehicle can receive).

[0027] 2, when charging of vehicle A is completed (full charge, or charging for the set charging time or charging amount is completed, or charging is interrupted), the priority mode is automatically switched to the normal mode. If the connection between the charging device 2 and vehicle A is disconnected and then reconnected, or if charging is resumed without disconnecting the charging device 2 and vehicle A, charging can be started in the normal mode.

[0028] As can be seen from this example, it is preferable that the control unit 3 be configured to be able to switch from priority mode to normal mode when charging of a specific vehicle that is charged with a larger amount of charge than other vehicles is completed.

[0029] So far, we have explained the case where there is only one vehicle that needs to be charged quickly. In this case, a system that can identify only one vehicle in priority mode can be used. However, there are also cases where multiple vehicles need to be charged quickly. For this reason, it is also possible to use a system that can identify two or more vehicles in priority mode out of the multiple vehicles connected to the charging device 2.

[0030] When two or more vehicles can be identified in the priority mode, the two or more identified vehicles may be charged with an equal amount of charging allocated. Of course, this amount of charging allocated is greater than the amount of charging allocated to other vehicles. However, the two or more identified vehicles may be prioritized based on the order of connection or the degree of urgency, and each vehicle may be charged with a different amount of charging allocated. Of course, even in this case, the amount of charging allocated to all identified vehicles must be greater than the amount of charging allocated to other unidentified vehicles.

[0031] Note that, in addition to switching to the priority mode during charging in the normal mode, charging may be started by specifying the priority mode as a charging condition when an instruction to start charging is transmitted from the terminal device to the control unit 3. Also, switching from the priority mode to the normal mode may be performed when an input signal is input to the control unit 3. In other words, if there is no longer a need to charge preferentially during charging in the priority mode, an input signal may be input from the terminal device to the control unit 3 to change the settings so that the mode can be switched to the normal mode.

[0032] In addition, it is possible that a vehicle requiring charging may be added while the vehicle is being controlled in the normal mode or the priority mode. In this case, it may be determined whether the vehicle needs to be allocated a larger amount of charge than the other vehicles. If no instruction is given, the vehicle may be set to belong to a group to which the amount of charge allocated is equally allocated.

[0033] As can be seen from these examples, various structures of the vehicle charging system are possible. Regardless of which structure is used, the vehicle charging method may involve using an input signal to switch between a normal mode in which the charge allocation amount allocated for vehicle charging is evenly distributed to multiple vehicles connected to one or more charging devices 2, and a priority mode in which a specific vehicle among the multiple vehicles connected to the charging device 2 is charged with a larger charge allocation amount than the other vehicles.

[0034] Although the present invention has been described above by taking the embodiments as examples, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be embodied in various forms. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 2 Charging device 3. Control Unit

Claims

1. A vehicle charging system capable of charging multiple vehicles, at least one charging device used to charge the vehicle; a control unit that controls the amount of charge allocated to a vehicle connected to the charging device, The control unit, based on the input signal, a normal mode in which a charging amount allocated for vehicle charging is evenly distributed to each of a plurality of vehicles connected to one or more charging devices; a priority mode in which a specific vehicle is charged with a larger amount of charge than other vehicles; A vehicle charging system that is switchable.

2. In the priority mode, the control unit 2. The vehicle charging system according to claim 1, wherein the remaining charge allocation amount, obtained by subtracting the charge allocation amount for the specific vehicle from the charge allocation amount allocated for vehicle charging, is controlled to be evenly distributed to other vehicles other than the specific vehicle for charging.

3. 3. The vehicle charging system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is capable of switching from the priority mode to the normal mode when charging of a specific vehicle that is charged with a larger amount of charge than other vehicles is completed.

4. A vehicle charging method for charging a plurality of vehicles using at least one charging device, comprising: Using the input signal, A vehicle charging method that switches between a normal mode in which a charging amount allocated for vehicle charging is evenly distributed to a plurality of vehicles connected to one or more charging devices, and a priority mode in which a specific vehicle among a plurality of vehicles connected to the charging device is charged with a larger charging amount than other vehicles.

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