Electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system configured to charge an electric vehicle

Abstract

To provide an electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system configured to charge an electric vehicle. An electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system (100) configured to charge an electric vehicle (102) is described. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system (100) includes at least one air conditioning unit (105) for conditioning a space or medium (108), at least one electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) (110) for charging the at least one electric vehicle, and at least one control means (112) for controlling the at least one air conditioning unit (105) and the at least one electric vehicle supply equipment (110).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system configured to charge an electric vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] An air conditioner typically includes, but is not limited to, the following components: a heat exchanger, a four-way valve, a condenser, an expansion valve, and power electronics boards that may include a power board, an inverter board, and a controller board. These are common components in heat exchangers, hybrid air conditioning systems, refrigerant systems, heat pumps, or any other system that functions to cool or heat a medium for the purpose of controlling or regulating the temperature within the medium, hereafter referred to as an air conditioner. The air conditioner can be located on the exterior of the building or in an isolated area of ​​the structure, for example, an underground parking lot suitable for the air conditioner to access electric vehicles.

[0003] An electric vehicle charging station, also known as an EV charging station, electric recharge point, charge point, charging point, electronic charging station (ECS), electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), fast charger, DC fast charger, and wireless charging station, is a machine that supplies electrical energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, including plug-in electric vehicles, neighborhood electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, wireless electric vehicles, flying electric taxis, electric motorbikes, and any other type of electric vehicle.

[0004] IEC 61851-1 is an international standard that specifies general requirements for EV conductive charging systems. According to the IEC 61851-1 standard, electric vehicles (EVs) can be charged in four ways. Mode 1 is the simplest solution for charging an electric vehicle (EV). In this case, the EV is connected to a standard residential outlet, which must have a circuit breaker for overload and ground fault protection. In this mode, charging is achieved without communication and is rated for a maximum of 16 amperes. In Mode 2, the EV is connected to the domestic power grid via a specific cable with an in-cable or in-plug control pilot and protection device. The current must not exceed 32 amperes.

[0005] In mode 3, the EV is connected via a specific socket on a dedicated charging station with permanently integrated control and protection functions. The rated charging current is up to 3 x 63 amperes. In mode 4, the EV is fast-charged with direct current (DC).

[0006] Widely accepted theories of climate change are forcing governments to rethink how we use and produce energy, as well as monitor and reduce overall levels of emissions. Fossil fuels will be phased out over time. Two of the largest users of energy are transport (42% in Ireland in 2018) and heating or cooling (39% in Ireland in 2018).

[0007] Electric vehicles are seen as a logical step to replace internal combustion engines. To this end, global electric vehicle sales increased by 41% in 2020. Growth has continued over the past decade, and according to the IEA report "Global EV Outlook 2021" (https: / / www.iea.org / reports / global-ev-outlook-2021 / introduction#abstract), released in late April, the number of registered EVs worldwide will increase from approximately 10 million today to 145 million by 2030. It is impossible to predict exactly how EV owners and users will charge their vehicles in the future. One thing is clear: charging flexibility, speed, and cost will factor into any decision.

[0008] The current charging infrastructure for electric vehicles falls significantly short of what is needed to meet the growing demand for EVs. The shortage of EV charging points may deter consumers from purchasing EVs in the future, and the number of available charging points may not increase significantly. Households without on-street or in-home parking will require the use of charging stations. This represents at least 1.5 million households in the UK alone.

[0009] As the world moves away from gas and oil burners / boilers, the next logical step is heat pumps. Also, hot countries use air conditioning as a way to cool and sometimes heat spaces. Heat pumps and air conditioning units are considered the same thing. Heat pumps can meet 90% of the world's heating needs with a lower carbon footprint than gas-fired condensing boilers. In 2019, almost 20 million households purchased heat pumps. Nevertheless, this only represents 5% of the requirement by the IEA. https: / / www.iea.org / reports / heat-pump. This is another 380 million units. Ireland alone requires 600,000 units to meet its need.

[0010] Additionally, the process of charging an electric vehicle generates heat. The higher the power, the greater the heat loss from the components. Smaller systems, such as Type 1 and Type 2 chargers, produce minimal heat. Any heat loss is typically dissipated into the surrounding air via either a heat sink or a small fan. However, for larger systems above 10 kW, a cooling mechanism is required. Typically, this takes the form of some type of direct expansion coil with a refrigerant, and the heat is typically dissipated by cooling.

[0011] Homes, now and in the future, will need EV chargers and air conditioning systems, which can be installed separately at greater cost and with less control, but without adding expensive control modules. Summary of the Invention

[0012] These and other problems are addressed by providing an electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system configured to charge an electric vehicle as detailed in claim 1. Advantageous features are provided in the dependent claims.

[0013] Thereby, an electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system configured to charge an electric vehicle is provided, the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system comprising: at least one air conditioning unit for adjusting the temperature of a space or medium; at least one electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) for charging at least one electric vehicle; and control means for controlling at least one air conditioning unit and at least one electric vehicle power supply device.

[0014] In one embodiment, the control means is operable to give priority to the air conditioning unit over the at least one EVSE, or vice versa. Advantageously, the control means is operable to give priority to power supply to the air conditioning unit over the at least one EVSE, or vice versa.

[0015] In an exemplary embodiment, the control means is operable to operate a master-slave relationship between the at least one air conditioning unit and the at least one EVSE, or vice versa.

[0016] In a further embodiment, the control means enables the electric vehicle to operate as a secondary power source for the air conditioning unit.

[0017] In another embodiment, the control means comprises a current sensing circuit.

[0018] In one embodiment, the control means comprises a signal monitoring circuit.

[0019] In an exemplary embodiment, the control means is operable to back-feed the air conditioning unit from the electric vehicle.

[0020] In a further embodiment, the control means comprises a first controller for controlling the at least one air conditioning unit and a second controller for controlling the at least one electric vehicle power supply, advantageously the first controller being configured as a master and the second controller being configured as a slave.

[0021] In another embodiment, at least one power converter is provided for converting power from the power source into a format suitable for powering an air conditioning unit. Advantageously, the at least one power converter is configured to convert power from the power source into a format suitable for charging an electric vehicle.

[0022] In one embodiment, the current sensing circuit is operable to measure the current delivered to the air conditioning unit and / or the EVSE.

[0023] In another embodiment, the control means is operable to vary the current supply to the electric vehicle based on the operating characteristics of the air conditioning unit.

[0024] In an exemplary embodiment, the control means is configured to facilitate bidirectional power flow between the EVSE, the air conditioning unit, and the electric vehicle. Advantageously, the control means is operable to reverse power direction depending on operating characteristics of the air conditioning unit.

[0025] In another embodiment, the control means is operable to reverse the power direction in response to an operating characteristic of the power source.

[0026] In an exemplary embodiment, the air conditioning unit comprises cooling means, which may advantageously be a cooling loop circuit.

[0027] In one embodiment, the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system further comprises a DC electric charger or a wireless EV charger.

[0028] In an exemplary embodiment, the cooling means comprises a cooling loop circuit and / or a charger cable cooling circuit.

[0029] In another exemplary embodiment, the charging cable may cool as the charging rate increases. In a 90% efficient system, a 50 kW charger will lose 5 kW to heat dissipation, which is relatively insignificant, but as the rate increases toward 350 kW, heat dissipation becomes significant at 35 kW, and therefore a cooled cable will increase the efficiency of the charging process. The loss may be defined as Pwaste = Pout((1 / n)-1).

[0030] In an exemplary embodiment, heat is recovered from the charger cooling loop circuit by the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system.

[0031] These and other features will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, which are provided by way of example only and to aid in understanding the present teachings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0032] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates a block diagram of an example electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system configured to charge an electric vehicle in accordance with the present teachings. [Figure 2] 2 illustrates a block diagram of details of the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 2 illustrates a detailed circuit diagram of the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 2 illustrates a detailed circuit / sample diagram of the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] 2 illustrates a detailed circuit diagram of the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] 1 illustrates a block diagram of another example electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system configured to charge an electric vehicle, also in accordance with the present teachings. [Figure 7] 1 illustrates a block diagram of another example electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system configured to charge an electric vehicle, also in accordance with the present teachings. [Figure 8] 1 illustrates a block diagram of another example electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system configured for DC charging of an electric vehicle, also in accordance with the present teachings. [Figure 9A] 1 shows an example of adding a cooling loop circuit in an electric vehicle hybrid air conditioner to an EV charger on a two-pipe variable refrigerant flow system. [Figure 9B] An example of a two-pipe variable refrigerant flow system is shown, with the EV charger connected using an extended cooling loop circuit to allow flexibility in the placement of the EV charger. [Figure 9C] This figure shows an example of the addition of a cooling loop circuit in an electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system to an EV charger on a three-pipe variable refrigerant flow system. In addition, this figure includes an example of the addition of a cooling loop circuit on the charging cable added to the system for further heat recovery. [Figure 9D]To allow for flexibility in charger placement, an example of a three-pipe variable refrigerant flow system is shown where the EV charger is connected using an expansion cooling loop circuit. Additionally, a cooling loop circuit from the charging cable is added to the expansion system for further heat recovery. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of a control means that may be provided by a computing device. [Figure 11] 3 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps of a method for controlling a hybrid air conditioning system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to several exemplary electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning systems configured to charge electric vehicles and exemplary methods for controlling electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning systems. It will be understood that the described embodiments are provided to aid in understanding the present disclosure and should not be construed as limiting in any manner. Furthermore, modules or elements described with reference to any one figure may be interchanged and / or combined with those of other figures or other equivalent elements without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

[0034] Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a hybrid air conditioning system 100 configured to charge an electric vehicle 102. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 100 includes an air conditioning unit 105 for conditioning a space or medium within a structure or building 108. An electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) 110 is provided for charging the electric vehicle 102, which is typically located near the building 108 or structure. A control means 112 is provided for controlling the air conditioning unit 105 and the EVSE 110.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 2 , an exemplary electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 100 according to the present teachings is illustrated configured for unidirectional AC charging modes 2-3. A control means 112 includes a first controller 114 associated with the air conditioning unit 105 and a second controller 116 associated with the EVSE 110. A power circuit 118 is provided to receive power from a power source 120 and convert the power suitable for powering the air conditioning unit 105 and the EVSE 110. In an exemplary embodiment, the power source 120 may be single-phase or three-phase. The power source 120 delivers power to the power circuit 118, which delivers power to the first controller 114, the second controller 116, and the EVSE relays 124. The control means 112 may be configured to measure and deliver a variable current to the EVSE 110, causing the EVSE to operate at reduced power while the air conditioning unit 105 operates at full power, near full power, or at a desired power. Those skilled in the art will understand that the control means may be configured to prioritize the air conditioning unit 105 over the EVSE 110, or vice versa. Connections from the EVSE relay 124 may use tethered or untethered cables, using standard male / female connectors 125 or whatever industry standard is available. The control boards, power boards, inverters, or any components for the air conditioning unit 105 and EVSE 110 may be integrated on the same integrated circuit board (IC) or may be separated to suit the components within the units.

[0036] To vary the amount of current supplied to the EVSE to charge the electric vehicle 102 while ensuring that the air conditioner 105 is prioritized so that it can operate at full power, the control means may include a current sensing circuit 130, as illustrated in FIG. 3 . Those skilled in the art will understand that the current sensing circuit 130 is provided to measure power by way of example only and is not intended to limit the present disclosure to the exemplary circuit described. In the exemplary current sensing circuit 130, the air conditioner unit 105 and the EVSE 110 are controlled in a master-slave relationship. The primary purpose of the current sensing circuit 130 is to determine how much current remains available for use by the EVSE 110 by comparing the amount of current being used by the air conditioner unit 105 with the input current 120. Two current sensors / transformers 135A, 135B are provided to measure the total current. Current sensor 135A is associated with air conditioning unit 105 and configured as a master, while current sensor 135B is associated with the input current to electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 120 and configured as a slave. Slave current sensor 135B measures the total current available on the input A / C line. Analog to digital converter (ADC) 140B converts the sensed current.

[0037] A current signal is received from master current sensor 135A. This current signal is read as a voltage, and resistor 142A is used to drop the voltage to the appropriate value that the ADC will read. Current sense circuit 130 is configured for differential reading, which allows the ADC to measure both the positive and negative of the AC oscillation. The same measurement is made from slave current sensor 135B, where the slave measures the current of the input AC power source. Again, the use of a precisely sized resistor 142B at the system setting allows the appropriate level of voltage to be returned to the ADC. In an exemplary embodiment, resistor 142B will be specified based on peak voltage rather than rms voltage to stay within the safe operating limits of the ADC. The readings from both ADCs 140A, 140B must be converted to comparable voltage numbers using the ADC's programmed gain. Figure 3 shows the I 2 A simplified version is illustrated in which a C bus 139 connects both ADCs 140A, 140B to a microprocessor / microcontroller 150.

[0038] 4, microcontroller 150 can be used to read from both slave 1 ADC 140B and slave 2 ADC 140B. Slave 1 ADC will measure from master current sensor 135A, and slave 2 will measure from slave current sensor 135B. Microprocessor 150 will read from I 2The serial data (SDA) and serial clock lines (SCL) of the C bus 139 can be configured to sample each ADC's current level as a voltage signal that provides a remaining value. The SCL is driven by the SDA line going low to initiate an interrogation sequence, followed by an individual address for each slave, followed by a read signal where the master takes data from the designated slave as an 8-bit data bundle. The master reads the data from each cycle when the clock goes low. Once processed, a small percentage correction is applied to the system to allow for imprecision in the sensor design, and the final remaining available output current is sent to the EVSE microcontroller to provide as the maximum available current. The available current value can range from all power available for charging to no power remaining (less than 6 amps) due to the air conditioner running at high power.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 5, FIG. 5 is an example of an energy power monitor 160 including a current sensing circuit 130, with like components indicated by like reference numerals. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the energy power monitor 160 is provided by way of example only and is not intended to limit the disclosure of the exemplary circuit described. 2The additional ADC 140C added to the C circuit measures the external current being fed to an external meter or directly from the fuse board. Further protection is needed due to the large additional electrical draw placed on buildings as they upgrade from oil or gas to heat pump / hybrid air conditioning systems. In the past, homes were heated by oil or gas, and cars were heated by gasoline or diesel. This is now changing through heating system upgrades, but there is no upgrade to a mains power supply. By measuring the mains current supply, and possibly the system voltage supply, the power drawn by the network can be monitored before the power supply to the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 100 is used. If, for some reason, the air conditioning unit needs to increase its power to operate effectively, it may attempt to draw more amps than are available in the remaining network supply. This would trip the fuse board. To prevent this from happening, in a design similar to that of Figure 5, the air conditioning unit can be power-limited and controlled using an energy monitoring system. In this case, in an electrical system where the mains transmission is the master, the input power transmission to the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioner system is slave 1, and the air conditioner is slave 2, the air conditioner can only draw the remaining power available. This control method will ensure that the end user has full control and safety of the fuse board without ever being overloaded due to multiple high power devices operating simultaneously, i.e., in the system priority order, the circuit board is priority number 1, the air conditioner is priority number 2, and the EVSE is priority number 3, or vice versa.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 6 , another electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 200 is illustrated, also in accordance with the present teachings. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 200 is substantially similar to the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 100, and like components are designated with like reference numerals. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system includes V2G technology to back-feed the air conditioning unit 105 via a priority switch 205 or similar technology to power an air conditioner power board 210. In addition to the V2G technology, an optional signal monitoring box 215 is also provided, which can be connected to the cloud either through hardwire, Wi-Fi, GSM, or any other means. The transmitted signal can include multiple information points and can be transmitted directly to the vehicle 102 through the cloud and / or through an app. All of the transmitted data will comply with Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.11p, IEEE 1609, SAE J2354, SAE J2369, and all other relevant standards for Vehicle-to-Network (V2N) technologies. Signals to be transmitted may include: 1. Identify it as a charging point 2. GPS and / or postal code 3. Type: AC, wireless, or DC fast charging 4. Engagement or Disengagement 5. Did the car run long enough to be fully charged? 6. Mooring or Unmooring 7. Maximum and currently available charging capacity (KWh) 8. Billable Fees 9.CCTV Security Surveillance 10. Automatic Number / License Plate Recognition 11. Vehicle Identification Verification 12. To reserve or not to reserve a charger, time limit 13. Reversible demand for electricity at a given price per KWH 14. Any other signal or information that may be useful for giving or receiving a charge

[0041] Referring to FIG. 7 , another electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 300, also in accordance with the present teachings, is illustrated configured to charge an electric vehicle 102. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 300 is substantially similar to the hybrid air conditioning systems 100 and 200, with like components designated by like reference numerals. This hybrid air conditioning system 300 is configured to operate in a bidirectional mode. AC power from the power source 120 is bidirectional to and from the electric vehicle 102, allowing the air conditioning unit 102 to be powered from the charge of the electric vehicle's 102 battery. Thus, those skilled in the art will understand that the electric vehicle 102 provides a secondary power source to the air conditioning unit 105. This may be accomplished using bidirectional EVSE equipment in combination with a priority switch 205 relay or another form of control. The decision to reverse charge may be made by one or more of the following options: from within the vehicle 102, automatically in the event of a power outage, from a user-controlled app, or by manual control from the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system or other means. The returned power may be used solely for use by the air conditioning unit 102, or may be diverted for use by a secondary electrical device, or may be stored for future use. There may be the ability to limit the available charge drawn from the electric vehicle 102 to allow charge to remain on the electric vehicle 102, particularly in the event of a power outage or when the electric vehicle 102 is needed for emergency use.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 8 , another electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 400, also in accordance with the present teachings, is illustrated configured to charge an electric vehicle 102. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 400 is substantially similar to the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning systems 100, 200, and 300, and like components are designated with like reference numerals. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 400 is configured for direct current charger Mode 4 and includes a DC electric charger 402. An inverter 410 and a PCB 415 may be operably coupled to a power board 405 and the DC electric charger 402. The power converter may be housed within the air conditioner or in a separate unit connected to the air conditioner, depending on the space and cooling configuration required. The power board 405 may be integrated with the Mode 4 charger or may be separate depending on the larger power requirements needed. At all times, the air conditioning unit 102 has the power it needs to function optimally, and any and all power is made available to the air conditioner if needed when power supply from the grid or other available sources is limited. This indicates that priority for power input into the system will be given to the air conditioning unit 102, or vice versa. It is envisioned that the electric charger may be a wireless EV charger.

[0043] FIG. 9A illustrates another exemplary electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 500A, with similar components associated with previously described systems designated by similar reference numerals. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 500 includes a cooling means, which in the exemplary embodiment comprises a cooling loop circuit associated with an EV charger 504 on a two-pipe variable refrigerant flow system. This is merely an example and is not exhaustive of how the EV charger 504 can be configured into an air conditioner cooling loop circuit. The heat exchanger indoor unit 502 requests heating. The compressor 510 compresses the refrigerant gas into a high-pressure, high-temperature gas. The gas passes through a four-way valve 515 and flows through piping 517 to a refrigerant controller 520 and then to the indoor unit 502. The cooled liquid is returned to the heat exchanger 530 through an expansion valve 535, where it once again undergoes a phase change to gas and returns to the accumulator 537. On the return refrigerant pipe during the heating cycle, a separator 540 allows the cooled refrigerant to be rerouted through the EV charger 504 cooling loop circuit. The cooled liquid passes through expansion valve 539 and heat exchanger 503 of EV charger 504 to recover heat from the charging process and return the heated refrigerant through valve 560 and check valve 562 into accumulator 537. This recovered heat will improve the air conditioning system's coefficient of performance in the heating cycle. This system also functions for reverse cycle cooling. Those skilled in the art will understand that indoor unit 502 may be, but is not limited to, a refrigerant for air, a refrigerant for water, or a refrigerant for another medium.

[0044] 9B illustrates another exemplary electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 500B also in accordance with the present teachings. Electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 500B is substantially similar to electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 500A, and like components are indicated by like reference numerals. Electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 500B includes: The two-pipe variable refrigerant flow system is further configured to mount a cooling loop circuit for the EV charger. In Figure 9B, the cooling loop circuit is mounted to the system's refrigerant controller box. This configuration has the advantage of allowing the electric charger to be located remotely from the air conditioning unit, while retaining the benefits of heat recovery through expansion valve 564, across heat exchanger 503, and through valve 560 and check valve 562, which in turn increases the system's coefficient of performance in the heating cycle.

[0045] FIG. 9C illustrates another exemplary electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 500C, also in accordance with the present teachings. Electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 500C is substantially similar to electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 500A, and like components are designated with like reference numerals. Electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 500C is a further example in which an EV charger is added to a three-pipe variable refrigerant flow system. Its functionality is very similar to that of the two-pipe system described in FIG. 9A. System 500C consists of a three-pipe system in which each indoor heat exchanger 502 has its own refrigerant controller 520. In this example of a variable flow system with this configuration, the separator is eliminated because the refrigerant pipes will always have enough liquid refrigerant to cool the EV charger during the charging cycle. As in FIG. 9A, a return pipe from EV charger 504 returns recovered heat to pressure accumulator 537, increasing the system's coefficient of performance during the heating cycle. An optional feature shown in system 500C is the possible integration of a heat exchanger cooling loop circuit that can be used to cool electric vehicle cables 570 operating at high power. The cooling loop circuit for the charging cable can be integrated into both the two- and three-pipe variable refrigerant flow systems.

[0046] FIG. 9D illustrates another exemplary electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 500D also in accordance with the present teachings. Electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 500D is substantially similar to electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 500C, and like components are designated with like reference numerals. System 500D is a further configuration of a three-pipe variable refrigerant flow system in which an EV charger is connected similarly to the indoor unit. EV charger 504 only needs to be connected to the return line for cooling and functions for cooling in either the forward or reverse cycle. The advantage of this configuration is that it allows EV charger 504 to be configured remotely from the air conditioner while maintaining the benefit of improving the coefficient of performance during the heating cycle.

[0047] 10 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of control means that may be provided by a computing device 900. The computing device 900 includes various hardware and software components that function to perform processes in accordance with the present disclosure. The computing device 900 may be embodied as one of numerous general-purpose or special-purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of known computing systems, environments, and / or configurations that may be suitable for use in accordance with the present disclosure include, but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, cloud computing, handheld or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-, microcontroller-, or microcomputer-based systems, set-top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, ASIC or FPGA cores, DSP cores, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like.

[0048] 10 , computing device 900 includes a user interface 910, a processor 920 in communication with memory 950, and a communication interface 930. Processor 920 functions to execute software instructions that may be loaded and stored in memory 950. Processor 920 may include several processors, a multi-processor core, or some other type of processor, depending on the particular implementation. Memory 950 may be accessible by processor 920, thereby enabling processor 920 to receive and execute instructions stored in memory 950. Memory 950 may be, for example, random access memory (RAM) or any other suitable volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium. Additionally, memory 950 may be fixed or removable and may include one or more components or devices, such as a hard drive, flash memory, a rewritable optical disk, a rewritable magnetic tape, or any combination of the above.

[0049] One or more software modules 960 may be encoded in memory 950. Software modules 960 may include one or more software programs or applications having computer program code or instruction sets configured to be executed by processor 920. Such computer program code or instructions for performing operations of aspects of the systems and methods disclosed herein may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages.

[0050] The software modules 960 may include at least a first application 961 and a second application 962 configured to be executed by the processor 920. During execution of the software modules 960, the processor 920 configures the computing device 900 to perform various operations associated with embodiments of the present disclosure, as described above.

[0051] Other information and / or data related to the operation of the present system and methods may also be stored in memory 950, such as database 970. Database 970 may contain and / or maintain various data items and elements utilized throughout the various operations of the above-described system. While database 970 is shown configured local to computing device 900, it should be noted that in certain embodiments, database 970 and / or the various other data elements stored therein may be located remotely. Such elements may be located on a remote device or server not shown and may be connected to computing device 900 via a network in a manner known to those skilled in the art for loading and execution on the processor.

[0052] Furthermore, the program code of the software modules 960 and one or more computer-readable storage devices (such as memory 950) form a computer program product that can be manufactured and / or distributed in accordance with the present disclosure, as known to those skilled in the art.

[0053] Communications interface 940 may also be any interface operably connected to processor 920 that enables communication between computing device 900 and other devices, machines, and / or elements. Communications interface 940 is configured to transmit and / or receive data. For example, communications interface 940 may include, but is not limited to, a Bluetooth or cellular transceiver, a satellite communications transmitter / receiver, an optical port, and / or any other such interface for wirelessly connecting computing device 900 to other devices.

[0054] A user interface 910 is also operatively connected to the processor 920. The user interface may include one or more input devices such as switches, buttons, keys, and a touch screen.

[0055] The user interface 910 functions to facilitate the capture of commands from a user, such as on / off commands or settings related to the operation of the system described above. The user interface 910 can function to issue remote instantaneous instructions regarding images received via a non-local image capture mechanism.

[0056] A display 912 may also be operatively connected to the processor 920. The display 912 may include a screen or any other such display device that allows a user to view various options, parameters, and results. The display 912 may be a digital display, such as an LED display. The user interface 910 and the display 912 may be integrated into a touchscreen display.

[0057] The computing device 900 may reside on a remote, cloud-based computer. In this embodiment, the automobile 102 communicates with the computing device 900 via vehicle-to-external (V2X) communications capabilities. Accordingly, software adapted to implement the systems and methods of the present disclosure may also reside in the cloud. Cloud computing provides computation, software, data access, and storage services that do not require end users to be aware of the physical location and configuration of the systems providing the services. Cloud computing encompasses any subscription-based or pay-per-use service and typically involves the provisioning of dynamically scalable, often virtualized, resources. Cloud computing providers deliver applications over the Internet, which can be accessed through a web browser, while business software and data are stored on servers in remote locations.

[0058] In a cloud embodiment of computing device 900, software module 960 and processor 920 may be located remotely on a cloud-based computer. The operation of computing device 900 and the various elements and components described above will be understood by those skilled in the art with reference to the methods and systems according to the present disclosure.

[0059] Each of the automobiles 102 may have a portal disposed therein through which communication with the electric vehicle hybrid climate control system 100 is possible. For example, the portal may include a display 980. The display 980 may include a screen or any other such display device that allows a user of the automobile 102 to view various options or parameters. For example, the display may be configured to display data associated with the electric vehicle hybrid climate control system received from the communication interface 940. The display 980 may be a digital display, such as an LED display, and may include a graphical user interface. For example, the display may be a touchscreen display into which a graphical user interface may be integrated. The automobiles 102 may be configured to execute an application that implements a method of the present disclosure. For example, the method may be primarily intended for users of mobile devices, such as smartphones. The method may be embodied as part of an application, or “app,” on the mobile device.

[0060] The cloud server may be an internet-based computing environment and may be configured to be accessible by the motor vehicles 102, for example, by a telematics unit, via the internet or the World Wide Web. The cloud server may be configured to receive data from the motor vehicles 102. The cloud server may include suitable physical and / or virtual hardware operably coupled via a network to perform specific computing tasks, such as tasks related to embodiments of the methods disclosed herein. For example, the cloud server may include a processor, a memory device, and a communication interface. The processor may be configured to execute software, such as an application implementing a method according to the present disclosure. The application may include computer-readable code embodied on a non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium. The application may be configured to be executed by the processor of each of the motor vehicles 102 to display data related to the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 100 and / or data related to the motor vehicles 102.

[0061] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the communication interface 940 of the electric vehicle hybrid climate control system 100 facilitates digital, analog, or any other input or output communication from the electric vehicle hybrid climate control system 100, 200, 300, 400 to or from the vehicle 102, either directly or via the cloud. The vehicle 102 may include on-board diagnostics (OBD), an automotive term referring to the vehicle's self-diagnostic and reporting capabilities. The OBD system provides the vehicle owner or repair technician with access to the status of various vehicle subsystems. Modern OBD implementations use a standardized digital communications port to provide real-time data in addition to a standardized set of diagnostic trouble codes, or DTCs, enabling faults within the vehicle to be quickly identified and repaired. The Controller Area Network (CAN) bus is an automotive bus standard designed to allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other within a vehicle without a host computer. CAN bus is a message-based protocol designed specifically for automotive applications, but is now also used in other sectors such as aerospace, marine, industrial automation, and medical devices.

[0062] The communication interface 940 of the electric vehicle hybrid climate control system 100 may be configured to interface with the vehicle's OBD port and / or CAN bus. The communication interface 940 may include computer circuitry configured to receive data related to the battery of the electric vehicle 102, such as the charge level and the projected distance the vehicle can travel based on the charge level. The vehicle 102 may further include a GPS receiver. The computer circuitry may be configured to communicate with external computing devices, including the cloud, via a 3G / 4G, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi connection.

[0063] The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 100 may further include a GPS receiver. The computer circuitry may be configured to communicate with external computing devices, including the cloud, via 3G / 4G, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi connections. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning systems 100, 200, 300, and 400 may be configured to communicate their location, their capacity, their charging capabilities, and provide their available connection types and status of availability, charging, or any other related operation. In this manner, the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system may provide information to electric vehicles in the vicinity of the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system so that the electric vehicles are aware of the system's charging capabilities.

[0064] The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning systems 100, 200, 300, and 400 may include a point of sale (POS) module 990. The POS module may be configured to allow electric vehicle users to pay for the electricity consumed when charging their batteries using the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system. To complete a purchase transaction, an account number is read. The account number is then used to route a transaction authorization request initiated by the POS module. The POS module may communicate with the user's digital wallet. In a typical transaction using a credit or debit card, a cardholder wishing to complete a transaction (i.e., make a payment) provides their card number along with other card details (e.g., card expiration date, card code verification (CCV) number, etc.) to a merchant at the point of sale (POS). The merchant transmits the card number and details to an "acquirer," i.e., a financial institution that facilitates and processes card payments made to the merchant. The acquirer then transmits an authorization request via a payment card network to the issuer or provider of the card used to make the payment.

[0065] The issuer processes the received request and determines whether the request is acceptable. If the issuer determines that the payment request is acceptable, an authorization response is sent to the acquirer via the payment card network, initiating the transfer of the payment amount to the merchant's account. In response to receiving the authorization response from the issuer, the acquirer communicates the authorization response to the merchant. In this manner, the card number can be used to make a card payment to the merchant.

[0066] The display of the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system may be any screen or touchpad that allows viewing, editing, and / or selection of operational settings for any parameters associated with the air conditioning system, including, but not limited to, EV charging amperage limits, charging time limits, or any operational status of the electric vehicle charging station.

[0067] The software module 960 may include one or more software programs or applications for implementing an exemplary method, such as that illustrated in flowchart 1000 of FIG. 10 . Such computer program code or instructions for performing the operations of the method may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. In an exemplary embodiment, a method for controlling an electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system 100 is described. The method uses at least one air conditioning unit to regulate the temperature of a space or medium (step 1010). At least one electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) is used to charge at least one electric vehicle 102 located in the vicinity of the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system (step 1020). A control means is used to control the at least one air conditioning unit 105 and the at least one electric vehicle supply equipment 100 (step 1030).

[0068] The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described herein, and may be amended or modified without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, it will be understood that in embodiments of the present disclosure, some of the above steps may be omitted and / or performed in an order other than that described.

[0069] Similarly, the word comprises / comprising, when used in this specification, specifies the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more additional features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

Claims

1. 1. An electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system configured to charge an electric vehicle, the electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system comprising: at least one air conditioning unit for adjusting the temperature of a space or medium; at least one electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) for charging at least one electric vehicle; and control means for controlling the at least one air conditioning unit and the at least one electric vehicle power supply device.

2. 2. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system of claim 1, wherein the control means is operable to give priority to the air conditioning unit over the at least one EVSE, or vice versa.

3. 3. An electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control means is operable to prioritise power supply to the air conditioning unit over the at least one EVSE, or vice versa.

4. 3. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system of claim 2, wherein the control means is operable to operate a master-slave relationship between the at least one air conditioning unit and the at least one EVSE, or vice versa.

5. 5. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system of claim 1, wherein the control means enables the electric vehicle to operate as a secondary power source for the air conditioning unit.

6. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control means includes a power sensing circuit.

7. 7. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the control means includes a signal monitoring circuit.

8. An electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system according to any preceding claim, wherein the control means is operable to back-feed the air conditioning unit from the electric vehicle.

9. 9. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the control means includes a first controller for controlling the at least one air conditioning unit and a second controller for controlling the at least one electric vehicle power supply device.

10. 10. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system of claim 9, wherein the first controller is configured as a master and the second controller is configured as a slave.

11. 11. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system of any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising at least one power converter for converting electrical power from a power source into a format suitable for powering the air conditioning unit.

12. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one power converter is configured to convert power from the power source into a format suitable for charging the electric vehicle.

13. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system of claim 6 , wherein the power sensing circuitry is operable to measure power being delivered to the air conditioning unit and / or the EVSE.

14. An electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system according to any preceding claim, wherein the control means is operable to vary the current supply to the electric vehicle based on operating characteristics of the air conditioning unit.

15. 15. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the control means is configured to facilitate bidirectional power flow between an EVSE, the air conditioning unit, and the electric vehicle.

16. An electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system according to any preceding claim, wherein the control means is operable to reverse power flow direction in response to operating characteristics of the air conditioning unit.

17. An electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system according to any preceding claim, wherein the control means is operable to reverse power flow direction in response to operating characteristics of the power source.

18. An electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the air conditioning unit includes a cooling means.

19. 20. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system of claim 18, further comprising a DC electric charger or a wireless EV charger.

20. 20. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system of claim 18 or 19, wherein the cooling means includes a cooling loop circuit and / or a charger cable cooling circuit.

21. 21. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system of claim 20, wherein heat is recovered by the hybrid air conditioning system from the cooling loop circuit.

22. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system of any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a communications module for facilitating data transfer to and / or from the electric vehicle.

23. The electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system of any one of claims 1 to 22, further comprising a point of sale module.

24. 1. A method for controlling an electric vehicle hybrid air conditioning system, the method comprising: using at least one air conditioning unit for adjusting the temperature of a space or medium; using at least one electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) for charging at least one electric vehicle; and using control means for controlling the at least one air conditioning unit and the at least one electric vehicle power supply device.

25. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein priority is assigned to the air conditioning unit over the at least one EVSE, or vice versa.

26. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein power supply to the air conditioning unit is prioritized over the at least one EVSE, or vice versa.

27. 27. The method according to claim 25 or 26, wherein a master-slave relationship exists between the at least one air conditioning unit and the at least one EVSE, or vice versa.

28. A method according to any one of claims 24 to 27, comprising using the electric vehicle to operate as a secondary power source for the air conditioning unit.

29. The method of any one of claims 24 to 28, further comprising sensing a power signal.

30. The method of any one of claims 24 to 29, further comprising monitoring a signal.

31. The method of any one of claims 24 to 30, further comprising reversing a power supply such that the electric vehicle supplies power to the air conditioning unit.

32. The method of any one of claims 24 to 31, further comprising converting power from a power source into a format suitable for powering the air conditioning unit.

33. 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising converting power from the power source into a format suitable for charging the electric vehicle.

34. The method of any one of claims 24 to 33, further comprising measuring the power being delivered to the air conditioning unit and / or the EVSE.

35. The method of any one of claims 24 to 34, further comprising varying the power supply to the electric vehicle based on the operating characteristics of the air conditioning unit.

36. The method of any one of claims 24 to 35, wherein bidirectional power flow is permitted between an EVSE, the air conditioning unit, and the electric vehicle.

37. The method of any one of claims 24 to 36, further comprising reversing power direction in response to operating characteristics of the air conditioning unit.

38. A method according to any one of claims 24 to 37, wherein power flow direction is reversed in response to an operating characteristic of the power source.

39. A method according to any one of claims 24 to 38, wherein heat is recovered from a charger cooling loop.

40. A method according to any one of claims 24 to 39, wherein data is transferred to and / or from the electric vehicle.

41. 41. The method of any one of claims 24 to 40, further comprising using a point of sale module to complete a transaction to pay for electricity consumed in charging the electric vehicle.

42. A computer readable medium comprising non-transitory instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform the method of any one of claims 24 to 41.

Images