Charging control system, charger, charging system, charging control method, and program

Abstract

To enable charging control in response to control commands from a higher-level system. [Solution] The charging control system 2 comprises a communication unit 21 that communicates with a higher-level system 50, and a control unit 20. When the communication unit 21 is able to communicate with the higher-level system 50, the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 connected between the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100 and the external power supply PS1 to turn on or off based on the control commands received by the communication unit 21 from the higher-level system 50. After an abnormal condition occurs, when the communication unit 21 becomes able to communicate with the higher-level system 50, the control unit 20 performs an offline operation to control the switching unit 22 to turn on or off based on the control state before the abnormal condition occurred. An abnormal condition is a state in which the communication unit 21 is unable to communicate with the higher-level system 50.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a charging control system, a charger, a charger system, a charging control method, and a program. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a charging control system, a charger, a charger system, a charging control method, and a program for controlling the charging of a storage battery used as a power source of a moving body.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a charging system capable of charging vehicles simultaneously.

[0003] The charging system includes a plurality of charging stands and a comprehensive control unit that comprehensively controls the charging of the plurality of charging stands. Each charging stand includes a communication unit, and the comprehensive control unit controls the internal devices of each charging stand via the communication unit.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the charging system configured as described above, when communication between the integrated control unit and the charging stand fails, the charging stand controls the circuit breaker of the charging stand according to the connection state of the vehicle to charge the vehicle. And even when communication between the integrated control unit and the charging stand is restored, if the charging stand is charging the vehicle, the charging stand continues charging until charging is complete and enters a state where it operates under the control of the integrated control unit after charging ends. Therefore, even when communication between the integrated control unit and the charging stand returns to a communicable state, there is a possibility that the charging control of the integrated control unit (upper system) may not reach the charging stand (charger).

[0006] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a charging control system, a charger, a charging system, a charging control method, and a program that can perform charging control in response to control commands from a higher-level system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A charging control system according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a communication unit that communicates with a higher-level system and a control unit. When the communication unit is able to communicate with the higher-level system, the control unit controls an on / off switch connected between the battery of an electric vehicle and an external power source based on a control command received by the communication unit from the higher-level system. After an abnormal condition occurs, when the communication unit becomes able to communicate with the higher-level system, the control unit performs an offline operation to control the on / off switch based on the control state before the abnormal condition occurred. The abnormal condition is a state in which the communication unit is unable to communicate with the higher-level system.

[0008] A charger according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises the charging control system and an outlet to which the electric vehicle can be connected via a charging cable. The switching unit is connected between the outlet and the external power supply.

[0009] A charger system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes the charge control system and the higher-level system.

[0010] A charging control method according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a communication step of communicating with a higher-level system and a control step. In the control step, when communication with the higher-level system is possible, the switch connected between the battery of the electric vehicle and an external power source is controlled to be on or off based on a control command received from the higher-level system in the communication step. After an abnormal condition occurs in which communication with the higher-level system becomes impossible, and when communication with the higher-level system becomes possible again, the control step controls the switch to be on or off based on the control state before the abnormal condition occurred.

[0011] A program according to one aspect of this disclosure is a program for causing one or more processors to execute the charging control method. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a charge control system, a charger, a charger system, a charge control method, and a program that can perform charge control in response to control commands from a higher-level system. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a charger system equipped with a charge control system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the usage state of a charger equipped with the same charging control system as described above. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the charging control system described above. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the charging control system described above. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] Hereinafter, a charging control system, charger, and charger system according to the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The configurations described in the following embodiments are merely examples of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments, and various modifications are possible depending on the design, etc., as long as the effects of the present disclosure can be achieved.

[0015] (Embodiment) (1) Overview Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a charger system A1 equipped with the charge control system 2 of this embodiment.

[0016] The charging control system 2 of this embodiment is mounted on an electric vehicle (described as "EV" in FIG. 1) 100 and is used to charge a storage battery 101 used as a power source of the electric vehicle 100. The electric vehicle 100 converts the electrical energy (electric power) stored in the storage battery 101 into mechanical energy (driving force) by a traveling motor or the like, and moves using this mechanical energy. The electric vehicle 100 is, for example, an electric vehicle (BEV: Battery Electronic Vehicle) or a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV: Plug-in Hybrid Electronic Vehicle).

[0017] The charging control system 2 is introduced into residential facilities F1 such as detached houses or apartment houses, and controls the charging of the electric vehicle 100 in these facilities F1. Note that the facility F1 into which the charging control system 2 is introduced is not limited to residential facilities, and may be a non-residential facility F1 such as an office, a store, or a care facility.

[0018] The charging control system 2 includes a communication unit 21 that communicates with a higher-level system 50 and a control unit 20.

[0019] When the communication unit 21 is in a state where it can communicate with the higher-level system 50, the control unit 20 controls the on or off state of an opening / closing unit 22 connected between the storage battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100 and an external power source PS1 based on a control command received by the communication unit 21 from the higher-level system 50.

[0020] After an abnormal state occurs and the communication unit 21 becomes in a state where it can communicate with the higher-level system 50, the control unit 20 performs an offline operation of controlling the on or off state of the opening / closing unit 22 based on the control state before the abnormal state occurs. Here, the abnormal state is a state where the communication unit 21 cannot communicate with the higher-level system 50.

[0021] Here, the external power source PS1 is a power source provided outside the electric vehicle 100, and in this embodiment, it is, for example, a commercial AC power source.

[0022] When the communication unit 21 is able to communicate with the higher-level system 50, the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to turn on or off based on control commands from the higher-level system 50. This operation in which the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to turn on or off based on control commands received from the higher-level system 50 is also called online operation. On the other hand, when an abnormal condition occurs, the communication unit 21 cannot receive control commands from the higher-level system 50, so the control unit 20 cannot perform online operation. However, when communication becomes possible after the abnormal condition occurs, the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 based on the control state before the abnormal condition occurred. Therefore, the control unit 20 can control the switching unit 22 to turn on or off based on previously received control commands before recovering from the abnormal condition and receiving new control commands from the higher-level system 50. Thus, the charging control system 2 of this embodiment has the advantage that even when an abnormal condition occurs, charging control can be performed in accordance with control commands from the higher-level system 50.

[0023] Furthermore, the charger 1 of this embodiment includes a charging control system 2 and an outlet 3 to which the electric vehicle 100 can be connected via a charging cable W1. The switching unit 22 is connected between the outlet 3 and the external power supply PS1.

[0024] Furthermore, the charger system A1 of this embodiment includes a charge control system 2 and a higher-level system 50.

[0025] There are broadly two types of charging equipment used to charge the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100: normal charging and rapid charging. In this embodiment, we will explain using the case where the charger 1 is a normal charging equipment that receives a supply of 200V (or 100V) single-phase AC to charge the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100 as an example.

[0026] Furthermore, the modes of normal charging are classified into "Mode 1," "Mode 2," and "Mode 3" depending on the charging control method (IEC61851-1). "Mode 1" is a method in which power is supplied to the electric vehicle 100 from a charger 1 that does not have a control circuit. "Mode 2" is a method in which the control circuit is built into the charging cable W1. "Mode 3" is a method in which the control circuit is built into the charger 1. In this embodiment, the charger 1 will be described as a charging facility for normal charging that employs the "Mode 1" method, but the charger 1 may also be a charging facility that employs the "Mode 2" or "Mode 3" method, or it may be a charging facility for rapid charging.

[0027] (2)Details Hereinafter, the charging control system 2, the charger 1 equipped with the charging control system 2, and the charger system A1 including the charging control system 2 according to this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0028] (2.1) Configuration In this embodiment, multiple chargers 1 are installed in facility F1. Facility F1 is provided with a parking area where multiple electric vehicles 100 can be parked, and chargers 1 for charging the parked electric vehicles 100 are installed in this parking area. In this embodiment, one charger 1 can charge one electric vehicle 100, so multiple chargers 1 are installed in the parking area of ​​facility F1 so that multiple electric vehicles 100 can be charged simultaneously.

[0029] Each of the multiple chargers 1 can be connected to an electric vehicle 100 via a charging cable W1. The charger 1 can charge the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100 connected via the charging cable W1.

[0030] Each of the multiple chargers 1 is equipped with an outlet 3 and a charging control system 2.

[0031] The charger 1 is attached, for example, to the outer wall 400 of facility F1 (see Figure 2). In this embodiment, the charging control system 2 has a second housing 200 which is a separate component from the first housing 300 of the outlet 3. The second housing 200 is, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped case made of synthetic resin or metal, and the components of the charging control system 2 are housed inside the second housing 200. The second housing 200 of the charging control system 2 is positioned between the first housing 300 of the outlet 3 and the outer wall 400 of facility F1. That is, the first housing 300 of the outlet 3 is installed on the outer wall 400 of facility F1 via the second housing 200 of the charging control system 2.

[0032] Thus, the second housing 200 of the charging control system 2 is a separate component from the first housing 300 of the outlet 3, and can be installed between the first housing 300 of the outlet 3 and the outer wall 400 of the facility F1. Therefore, the charging control system 2 of this embodiment can be retrofitted to an existing outlet 3.

[0033] The electric vehicle 100 can be connected to the outlet 3 via the charging cable W1. The first housing 300 of the outlet 3 is provided with an outlet that allows the plug attached to the first end of the charging cable W1 to be attached and detached. The second end of the charging cable W1 is provided with a charging plug that can be attached and detached to a connector on the electric vehicle 100.

[0034] When a user of electric vehicle 100 wants to charge the battery 101 of electric vehicle 100, they park electric vehicle 100 in the parking area where charger 1 is installed and connect electric vehicle 100 and outlet 3 with charging cable W1. Once electric vehicle 100 and outlet 3 are connected via charging cable W1, power can be supplied from outlet 3 to electric vehicle 100.

[0035] Furthermore, the outlet 3 is connected to the distribution board 4 via the switch 22 provided by the charging control system 2 and the power line L1 wired within the facility F1.

[0036] An external power source PS1, such as a commercial AC power source, is connected to the distribution board 4. The distribution board 4 is also connected to a distributed power source 5 installed at facility F1. The distributed power source 5 is connected in parallel with the external power source PS1 to the outlet 3. The distributed power source 5 includes, for example, a solar power generation system 6 and a power conditioner 7. The solar power generation system 6 has one or more solar panels and generates electricity using solar energy. The power conditioner 7 converts the DC voltage generated by the solar power generation system 6 into an AC voltage of AC100V or AC200V and outputs it to the distribution board 4. Note that the distributed power source 5 is not limited to a power source equipped with a solar power generation system 6, but may also include power sources such as small-scale hydropower generation, wind power generation, fuel cells, or energy storage systems.

[0037] Multiple chargers 1 are connected to the distribution board 4 via the power line L1, and the distribution board 4 supplies power from an external power source PS1 or a distributed power source 5 to the multiple chargers 1.

[0038] As described above, the charging control system 2 comprises a communication unit 21 and a control unit 20. Furthermore, the charging control system 2 of this embodiment comprises an opening / closing unit 22, a storage unit 23, a power outage detection unit 24, and a display unit 25.

[0039] The communication unit 21 communicates with the controller 51, for example, via a wired communication method through communication line L2. Although communication between the communication unit 21 and the controller 51 is performed using a wired communication method, communication may also be performed using a wireless communication method, and the communication method between the communication unit 21 and the controller 51 can be changed as appropriate. The controller 51 is located, for example, within facility F1. The controller 51 has a gateway function and can communicate with a server 52 located outside facility F1 via an external network NT1 such as the internet.

[0040] The communication unit 21 can communicate with the controller 51 and the server 52 via the controller 51, and can receive control commands from the controller 51 or the server 52. Here, the controller 51 located in facility F1, or the external server 52 that can communicate with the controller 51, functions as a higher-level system 50 that transmits control commands to the charging control system 2.

[0041] The switching unit 22 includes, for example, an electromagnetic relay with contacts connected between the distribution board 4 and the outlet 3, and a drive circuit that controls the electromagnetic relay to turn on or off in response to a control signal input from the control unit 20. Alternatively, the switching unit 22 may also include a semiconductor relay such as a MOSFET connected between the distribution board 4 and the outlet 3, and a drive circuit that controls the semiconductor relay to turn on or off in response to a control signal input from the control unit 20.

[0042] When the switch 22 is controlled to the ON position, power is supplied from the distribution board 4 to the outlet 3 via the switch 22, and power is supplied to the electric vehicle 100 via the outlet 3. When the switch 22 is controlled to the OFF position, the power supply from the distribution board 4 to the outlet 3 is cut off, and the power supply from the outlet 3 to the electric vehicle 100 is also cut off.

[0043] The control unit 20 primarily consists of a computer system having one or more processors and memory. The functions of the control unit 20 are realized when the computer system's processor executes a program recorded in the computer system's memory or storage unit 23. The program may be recorded in the memory or storage unit 23, provided via a telecommunications line such as the Internet, or provided on a non-temporary recording medium such as a memory card.

[0044] For example, when the communication unit 21 is able to communicate with the controller 51, the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to turn on or off based on a control command from the controller 51. The control operation by the control unit 20 will be explained in detail in "(2.2) Operation Description".

[0045] The power outage detection unit 24 detects a power outage in the external power supply PS1. For example, the power outage detection unit 24 monitors the voltage level of the communication line L2 connecting the controller 51 and the communication unit 21, and detects that the external power supply PS1 has lost power if the voltage level of the communication line L2 remains below a predetermined power outage detection level for a certain period of time. Alternatively, the power outage detection unit 24 may compare the power supply voltage obtained by rectifying and smoothing the AC voltage input from the external power supply PS1 to the distribution board 4 with a predetermined power outage determination voltage, and detect that a power outage has occurred in the external power supply PS1 if the power supply voltage falls below the power outage determination voltage.

[0046] The charging control system 2 is equipped with a backup power source such as a secondary battery or capacitor, and can operate for several hours even after a power outage at the external power source PS1 by receiving power from the backup power source. In addition, the charging control system 2 may operate by receiving power from the distributed power source 5 when the external power source PS1 is down.

[0047] The storage unit 23 includes, for example, non-volatile memory such as RAM, ROM, or EEPROM. The storage unit 23 stores, for example, control commands received by the communication unit 21, or the current control state of the switching unit 22. The storage unit 23 also stores the date and time of the power outage detected by the power outage detection unit 24, etc.

[0048] Furthermore, the memory unit 23 stores setting information for the operation mode of the control unit 20 in the event of an abnormal condition in which the communication unit 21 becomes unable to communicate with the higher-level system 50. There are three operation modes: normal mode, charge permission mode, and charge disallowance mode. Normal mode (also called "mode 1") is a mode that controls the switching unit 22 to be on or off, and is set for each facility F1. Charging permission mode (also called "mode 2") is a mode that permits charging of the electric vehicle 100, and controls the switching unit 22 to be on. Charging disallowance mode (also called "mode 3") is a mode that disallows charging of the electric vehicle 100, and controls the switching unit 22 to be off. For example, when the communication unit 21 receives setting information for the operation mode from the higher-level system 50 (controller 51 or server 52) or a computer device capable of communicating with the charge control system 2, the control unit 20 stores the setting information for the operation mode in the memory unit 23.

[0049] The display unit 25 indicates whether the control unit 20 is performing offline operation. The display unit 25 is positioned on the surface of the second housing 200 of the charging control system 2 in a manner that is visible from the outside. The display unit 25 is, for example, an indicator lamp such as an LED. The display unit 25 indicates whether the charging control system 2 is performing offline operation by the illumination state of the indicator lamp (for example, lit, off, blinking, or color of light). The display unit 25 may also be a display device such as an LCD, and the display device may show whether or not offline operation is being performed using characters or emojis, or it may show error codes, etc.

[0050] (2.2) Operation Instructions The operation of the charging control system 2 of this embodiment will be described based on the drawings.

[0051] (2.2.1) Operation description when communication with a higher-level system is possible. When the communication unit 21 is able to communicate with the higher-level system 50, the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to turn on or off based on the control command received from the higher-level system 50. Each of the multiple chargers 1 is assigned individual identification information, and the higher-level system 50 can send a control command to the desired charger 1 by transmitting a control command with the identification information attached to the communication line L2.

[0052] When a user wants to charge the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100, they park the electric vehicle 100 in the parking area where the charger 1 is installed and connect the electric vehicle 100 to the outlet 3 with the charging cable W1. Then, when the user operates, for example, the charging start button located on the surface of the second housing 200, the control unit 20 transmits a charging request signal from the communication unit 21 to the higher-level system 50, based on the operation signal input from the charging start button, requesting the start of charging. If the charging control system 2 can detect that the electric vehicle 100 is connected to the outlet 3, the control unit 20 may detect that the electric vehicle 100 is connected to the outlet 3 and have the communication unit 21 transmit a charging request signal to the higher-level system 50.

[0053] When the controller 51, which is the higher-level system 50, receives a charge request signal from the charge control system 2, it decides whether or not to allow charging, for example, based on the number of chargers 1 currently charging. For example, the controller 51 decides whether or not to allow charging of the charger 1 that sent the charge request signal, so that the sum of the power consumption of the multiple chargers 1 does not exceed a predetermined upper limit. If the controller 51 does not allow charging of the charger 1 that sent the charge request signal, it sets a charging time period in which charging is permitted for the charger 1 that sent the charge request signal, taking into account the charging time of one or more chargers 1 currently charging. In other words, the controller 51 schedules the charging time periods for multiple chargers 1 so that the power consumption of the multiple chargers 1 does not exceed a predetermined upper limit.

[0054] Here, if the controller 51 grants permission for charger 1, which has sent a charge request signal, to charger 1, it causes charger 1 to send a control command granting permission to charge (hereinafter referred to as the "charge permission command"). When the communication unit 21 of charger 1, which sent the charge request signal, receives the charge permission command from controller 51, the control unit 20 controls the switch 22 to turn on based on the charge permission command from controller 51, and supplies power from the distribution board 4 to the outlet 3 via the switch 22. As a result, power is supplied from the outlet 3 to the electric vehicle 100 via the charging cable W1, and the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100 is charged.

[0055] On the other hand, if the controller 51 does not permit charging from the charger 1 that sent the charging request signal, it causes the charger 1 to send a control command to deny charging (hereinafter referred to as the "charge denial command"). When the communication unit 21 of the charger 1 that sent the charging request signal receives the charge denial command from the controller 51, the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to turn off based on the charge denial command from the controller 51, and cuts off the power supply from the distribution board 4 to the outlet 3. At this time, the power supply from the outlet 3 to the electric vehicle 100 is cut off, and the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100 is not charged.

[0056] Furthermore, when it is time for charging of charger 1, which controller 51 has prohibited from charging, controller 51 instructs charger 1 to send a charging permission command. When the communication unit 21 of charger 1 receives the charging permission command from controller 51, the control unit 20 controls the switch 22 to turn on based on the charging permission command from controller 51, and supplies power from the distribution board 4 to the outlet 3 via the switch 22. As a result, power is supplied from the outlet 3 to the electric vehicle 100 via the charging cable W1, and the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100 is charged.

[0057] Furthermore, after the controller 51 has transmitted a charging permission command to the charger 1 and a predetermined charging time has elapsed, it transmits a charging permission command to the charger 1. When the communication unit 21 of the charger 1 receives the charging permission command from the controller 51, the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to turn off based on the charging permission command from the controller 51, thereby cutting off the power supply from the distribution board 4 to the outlet 3. As a result, the charger 1 can charge the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100 for a predetermined charging time and then terminate the charging. The charging time of the battery 101 can be appropriately changed depending on the time of day the battery is being charged, the number of electric vehicles 100 being charged, the state of the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100, etc.

[0058] The charging control system 2 may also be equipped with a current sensor that measures the current value of the current flowing through the switching unit 22, and the control unit 20 may stop charging based on the measurement result of the current sensor. For example, when the switching unit 22 is controlled to be ON and charging current is supplied from the charger 1 to the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100, if the current value measured by the current sensor falls below a predetermined stop threshold, the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to be OFF. As a result, when the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100 approaches full charge and the charging current flowing from the charger 1 to the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100 falls below the stop threshold, the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to be OFF, so that charging by the charger 1 can be automatically stopped.

[0059] (2.2.2) Explanation of actions to take when communication with the higher-level system becomes impossible. The operation of the charging control system 2 when the communication unit 21 becomes unable to communicate with the higher-level system 50 while the external power supply PS1 is not experiencing a power outage will be explained based on Figure 3 and other figures. In the following, the abnormal state in which the communication unit 21 becomes unable to communicate with the higher-level system 50 while the external power supply PS1 is not experiencing a power outage may be referred to as the first abnormal state. Note that the flowchart shown in Figure 3 is merely one example of the operation of the charging control system 2, and the order of processing may be changed as appropriate, or processing may be added or omitted as appropriate. In this embodiment, the switching unit 22 is set to be controlled to the OFF state in normal mode.

[0060] If the communication unit 21 becomes unable to communicate with the higher-level system 50 due to an abnormality in the higher-level system 50 or the superposition of noise on the communication line L2, the control unit 20 determines that an abnormal condition has occurred (S1). When the control unit 20 determines that an abnormal condition has occurred, it stores the control state of the switching unit 22 at the time the abnormal condition occurred in the storage unit 23 as the control state before the communication failure. The control unit 20 may also determine that an abnormal condition has occurred if the state in which the communication unit 21 is unable to communicate with the higher-level system 50 continues for longer than the determination time. The determination time is, for example, several tens of seconds to several tens of minutes (for example, 30 minutes). Since the control unit 20 determines that an abnormal condition has occurred only when the state in which the communication unit 21 is unable to communicate with the higher-level system 50 continues for longer than the determination time, the possibility of mistakenly identifying a temporary communication failure as an abnormal condition can be reduced.

[0061] If an abnormal condition occurs in which the communication unit 21 cannot communicate with the higher-level system 50, the control unit 20 determines whether the current operating mode is mode 1 or mode 3 (S2).

[0062] If the operating mode in step S2 is mode 1 or mode 3 (S2: Yes), the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to turn off, as shown in Table 1 (S3). That is, after an abnormal condition occurs, the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to turn off until the communication unit 21 can communicate with the higher-level system 50. As a result, the power supply to the outlet 3 is cut off, and charging of the electric vehicle 100 stops. For example, if only three chargers 1 can charge the electric vehicle 100 at the same time, and an abnormal condition occurs and the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to turn off, the electric vehicle 100 can be charged from another charger 1, thus improving usability.

[0063] [Table 1]

[0064] Furthermore, if the operating mode in step S2 is mode 2 (S2: No), the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to turn ON, as shown in Table 1 (S4). At this time, power is supplied from the distribution board 4 to the outlet 3 via the switching unit 22, and the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100 is charged. As a result, even if communication between the communication unit 21 and the higher-level system 50 is impossible, the charging control system 2 can perform offline operation and charge the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100.

[0065] Here, the control unit 20 may display on the display unit 25 that the control unit 20 is operating offline, and the user of the electric vehicle 100 can understand that the charger 1 is operating offline based on the display status of the display unit 25. In addition, the communication unit 21 may have a communication module that communicates with a smartphone or the like used by the user of the electric vehicle 100 via the internet, separate from the communication module that communicates with the higher-level system 50. In this case, the control unit 20 may have the communication unit 21 send a notification signal indicating that the control unit 20 is operating offline via email to the smartphone or the like via the internet. Here, a notification unit is configured to notify the user that the control unit 20 is operating offline from the communication unit 21 or the like. The user of the electric vehicle 100 can confirm that the charger 1 is operating offline by checking the notification information received on their smartphone.

[0066] If the communication unit 21 remains unable to communicate with the higher-level system 50 (S5: No), the control unit 20 repeats the processes from step S2 to step S5.

[0067] Subsequently, when the communication unit 21 becomes capable of communicating with the higher-level system 50 (S5: Yes), the control unit 20 reads the control state from the storage unit 23 before communication became impossible and controls the switching unit 22 to the control state before communication became impossible (S6).

[0068] For example, if the control unit 20 had controlled the switching unit 22 to be ON before communication became impossible, the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to be ON in step S6. Also, if the control unit 20 had controlled the switching unit 22 to be OFF before communication became impossible, the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to be OFF in step S6. The control unit 20 can control the switching unit 22 based on previously received control commands even before receiving new control commands from the higher-level system 50, and can perform charging control in response to control commands from the higher-level system 50 even if an abnormal condition occurs.

[0069] Subsequently, when the communication unit 21 receives a new control command from the higher-level system 50, the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to turn on or off based on the new control command, thereby enabling charging control in accordance with the control command from the higher-level system 50.

[0070] (2.2.3) Explanation of operations when power is restored after a power outage The operation of the charging control system 2 when the communication unit 21 becomes unable to communicate with the higher-level system 50 due to a power outage of the external power supply PS1 will be explained based on Figure 4 and other figures. In the following, the abnormal state in which the communication unit 21 becomes unable to communicate with the higher-level system 50 due to a power outage of the external power supply PS1 may be referred to as the second abnormal state. Note that the flowchart shown in Figure 4 is merely one example of the operation of the charging control system 2, and the order of processing may be changed as appropriate, and processing may be added or omitted as appropriate. In this embodiment, the switching unit 22 is set to be controlled to the OFF state in normal mode. In this embodiment, the switching unit 22 is set to be controlled to the OFF state in normal mode in both the first and second abnormal states, but the operation in normal mode may be set to different operations for the first and second abnormal states.

[0071] When the power outage detection unit 24 detects a power outage in the external power supply PS1 (S11), the control unit 20 stores the date and time of the power outage in the storage unit 23. The control unit 20 also stores the control state of the switching unit 22 immediately before the power outage in the storage unit 23 as the control state before the power outage. Even if a power outage occurs in the external power supply PS1, the charging control system 2 can operate for several hours by receiving power from the backup power supply.

[0072] Subsequently, when the external power supply PS1 is restored (S12), the external power supply PS1 supplies the power necessary for operation to the charge control system 2, and the control unit 20 determines whether the current operating mode is mode 1 or mode 3 (S13). At the time the external power supply PS1 is restored, the communication unit 21 is in a state where it cannot communicate with the higher-level system 50 (second abnormal state), and the communication unit 21 restarts the communication sequence in order to resume communication with the higher-level system 50.

[0073] If the operating mode in step S13 is mode 1 or mode 3 (S13: Yes), the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to the OFF position as shown in Table 2 (S14). That is, if an abnormal condition occurs due to a power outage of the external power supply PS1, the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to the OFF position until the communication unit 21 can communicate with the higher-level system 50 after the external power supply PS1 has been restored. As a result, the power supply to the outlet 3 is cut off and charging of the electric vehicle 100 stops. For example, if only three chargers 1 can charge the electric vehicle 100 at the same time, and an abnormal condition occurs due to a power outage and the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to the OFF position, the electric vehicle 100 can be charged from another charger 1, thus improving usability.

[0074] [Table 2]

[0075] Furthermore, if the operating mode in step S13 is mode 2 (S13: No), the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to turn ON, as shown in Table 2 (S15). At this time, power is supplied from the distribution board 4 to the outlet 3 via the switching unit 22, and the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100 is charged. As a result, even if communication between the communication unit 21 and the higher-level system 50 is impossible, the charging control system 2 can perform offline operation and charge the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100.

[0076] Here, the control unit 20 may display on the display unit 25 that the control unit 20 is operating offline, and the user of the electric vehicle 100 can understand that the charger 1 is operating offline based on the display status of the display unit 25. The control unit 20 may also send a notification signal indicating that the control unit 20 is operating offline via the communication unit 21 to the smartphone or other device used by the user of the electric vehicle 100 via the internet. The user of the electric vehicle 100 can confirm that the charger 1 is operating offline by checking the notification information received on their smartphone.

[0077] If the communication unit 21 remains unable to communicate with the higher-level system 50 (S16: No), the control unit 20 repeats the processes from step S13 to step S16.

[0078] Subsequently, when the communication unit 21 becomes capable of communicating with the higher-level system 50 (S16: Yes), the control unit 20 reads the control state from the memory unit 23 before the power outage and controls the switch / switch unit 22 to the control state before the power outage (S17). In this way, when an abnormal state occurs due to a power outage of the external power supply PS1, the control unit 20 controls the switch / switch unit 22 to the control state before the power outage of the external power supply PS1 occurred, once the communication unit 21 becomes capable of communicating with the higher-level system 50 after the external power supply PS1 is restored to power.

[0079] For example, if the control unit 20 had controlled the switch / switch unit 22 to be ON before the power outage, the control unit 20 controls the switch / switch unit 22 to be ON in step S17. If the control unit 20 had controlled the switch / switch unit 22 to be OFF before the power outage, the control unit 20 controls the switch / switch unit 22 to be OFF in step S17. The control unit 20 can control the switch / switch unit 22 based on the control command received before the power outage occurred, even before receiving a new control command from the higher-level system 50, and can perform charging control in response to the control command from the higher-level system 50 even if an abnormal condition occurs.

[0080] Subsequently, when the communication unit 21 receives a new control command from the higher-level system 50, the control unit 20 controls the switching unit 22 to turn on or off based on the new control command, thereby enabling charging control in accordance with the control command from the higher-level system 50.

[0081] Furthermore, if the external power supply PS1 is restored in step S12, the control unit 20 may determine, based on the date and time of the power outage stored in the memory unit 23, whether or not power was restored after a predetermined reset time (for example, 1 to 48 hours) or longer. If the external power supply PS1 is restored after a power outage of PS1 has continued for longer than the reset time, the control unit 20 may control the switch / switch unit 22 to the OFF position until the communication unit 21 receives a control command from the higher-level system 50. In other words, if the power outage of PS1 continues for longer than the reset time, the control unit 20 controls the switch / switch unit 22 to the OFF position until it receives a new control command from the higher-level system 50 after power is restored. If the power outage continues for longer than the reset time, it is assumed that the conditions for charging the electric vehicle 100 have also changed, so by controlling the switch / switch unit 22 to the OFF position, the control unit 20 can reduce the possibility of the electric vehicle 100 being charged against the user's intention.

[0082] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a distributed power source 5 capable of supplying charging current to the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100 is connected to the switch 22. Therefore, if an abnormal condition occurs due to a power outage of the external power source PS1, the control unit 20 may control the switch 22 to turn on, allowing the distributed power source 5 to supply charging current to the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100. If the external power source PS1 fails, there is a high possibility that the electricity generated by the distributed power source 5 cannot be sold to the commercial power grid. If a second abnormal condition occurs due to a power outage of the external power source PS1, the control unit 20 controls the switch 22 to turn on, allowing the distributed power source 5 to supply charging current to the electric vehicle 100. This makes it possible to effectively utilize the electricity generated by the distributed power source 5 to charge the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100.

[0083] (3) Variant The above embodiments are merely one of many embodiments of this disclosure. The above embodiments can be modified in various ways depending on the design, etc., as long as the objectives of this disclosure are achieved. Furthermore, functions similar to those of the charging control system 2 may be embodied in a charging control method, a computer program, or a non-temporary recording medium on which a program is recorded. A charging control method according to one embodiment includes a communication step of communicating with a higher-level system 50 and a control step. In the control step, when communication with the higher-level system 50 is possible, the switch 22 connected between the battery 101 of the electric vehicle 100 and the external power supply PS1 is controlled to be on or off based on the control command received from the higher-level system 50 in the communication step. After an abnormal condition occurs in which communication with the higher-level system 50 becomes impossible, when communication with the higher-level system 50 becomes possible again, the control step controls the switch 22 to be on or off based on the control state before the abnormal condition occurred. A (computer) program according to one embodiment is a program for causing one or more processors to execute the above charging control method.

[0084] The following lists some modifications of the above embodiment. The modifications described below can be combined and applied as appropriate.

[0085] The entity executing the charging control system 2 or charging control method in this disclosure includes a computer system. The computer system mainly consists of a processor and memory as hardware. The processor executes a program recorded in the memory of the computer system, thereby realizing the function of the entity executing the charging control system 2 or charging control method in this disclosure. The program may be pre-recorded in the memory of the computer system, provided via a telecommunications line, or provided on a non-temporary recording medium such as a memory card, optical disk, or hard disk drive that can be read by the computer system. The processor of the computer system consists of one or more electronic circuits including semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) or large-scale integrated circuits (LSIs). The integrated circuits referred to here, such as ICs or LSIs, are named differently depending on the degree of integration, and include integrated circuits called system LSIs, VLSIs (Very Large Scale Integration), or ULSIs (Ultra Large Scale Integration). Furthermore, FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) that are programmed after the manufacture of LSIs, or logic devices that allow for the reconfiguration of junction relationships or circuit compartments within LSIs, can also be used as processors. Multiple electronic circuits may be integrated onto a single chip or distributed across multiple chips. Multiple chips may be integrated onto a single device or distributed across multiple devices. The computer system referred to here includes a microcontroller having one or more processors and one or more memories. Therefore, the microcontroller also consists of one or more electronic circuits, including semiconductor integrated circuits or large-scale integrated circuits.

[0086] Furthermore, it is not essential for the charging control system 2 to have multiple functions integrated into a single housing; the components of the charging control system 2 may be distributed across multiple housings. In addition, at least some of the functions of the charging control system 2 may be implemented by the cloud (cloud computing), etc.

[0087] In the above embodiment, the first housing 300 of the outlet 3 and the second housing 200 of the charging control system 2 are configured as separate components, but the components of the charging control system 2 may be housed inside the first housing 300 of the outlet 3. Furthermore, it is not essential that the charging control system 2 is located in the same place as the outlet 3, and the second housing 200 of the charging control system 2 may be located in a different position from the first housing 300 of the outlet 3. In addition, each component of the charging control system 2 may be housed inside the distribution board 4.

[0088] In the above embodiment, where "greater than or equal to" is used in the comparison of two values, it may also be used as "greater than." In other words, whether or not the case where the two values ​​are equal is included in the comparison of two values ​​can be arbitrarily changed depending on the setting of the reference value, etc., so there is no technical difference between "greater than or equal to" and "greater than." Similarly, where "less than" is used, it may also be used as "less than or equal to."

[0089] (summary) Based on the embodiments described above, the following aspects are disclosed.

[0090] The first embodiment of the charging control system (2) includes a communication unit (21) that communicates with a higher-level system (50) and a control unit (20). When the communication unit (21) is able to communicate with the higher-level system (50), the control unit (20) controls the switching unit (22) connected between the battery (101) of the electric vehicle (100) and the external power supply (PS1) to turn on or off based on the control commands received by the communication unit (21) from the higher-level system (50). After an abnormal condition occurs, when the communication unit (21) becomes able to communicate with the higher-level system (50), the control unit (20) performs an offline operation to control the switching unit (22) to turn on or off based on the control state before the abnormal condition occurred. An abnormal condition is a state in which the communication unit (21) is unable to communicate with the higher-level system (50).

[0091] According to this embodiment, when an abnormal condition occurs, the communication unit (21) cannot receive control commands from the higher-level system (50). However, once communication becomes possible after the abnormal condition occurs, the control unit (20) controls the switching unit 22 based on the control state before the abnormal condition occurred. Therefore, the control unit (20) can control the switching unit (22) to turn on or off based on previously received control commands, even before recovering from the abnormal condition and receiving new control commands from the higher-level system (50). Thus, in the charging control system (2) of this embodiment, charging control can be performed in response to control commands from the higher-level system (50) even when an abnormal condition occurs.

[0092] In the second embodiment of the charging control system (2), in the first embodiment, the control unit (20) controls the switching unit (22) to turn off after an abnormal condition occurs until the communication unit (21) becomes able to communicate with the higher-level system (50).

[0093] According to this embodiment, after an abnormal condition occurs, the switching unit (22) can be controlled to turn off until the communication unit (21) becomes able to communicate with the higher-level system (50), thereby stopping the power supply to the electric vehicle (100).

[0094] In the third embodiment of the charging control system (2), in the second embodiment, the control unit (20) determines that an abnormal condition has occurred if the communication unit (21) is unable to communicate with the higher-level system (50) for a period of time or longer.

[0095] This embodiment reduces the possibility of misinterpreting a temporary communication failure as an abnormal condition.

[0096] In the fourth embodiment of the charging control system (2), in any of the first to third embodiments, if an abnormal condition occurs due to a power outage of the external power supply (PS1), the control unit (20) controls the switching unit (22) to the OFF state until the communication unit (21) becomes able to communicate with the host system (50) after the external power supply (PS1) has been restored.

[0097] According to this embodiment, after the external power supply (PS1) is restored, the switching unit (22) can be controlled to turn off until the communication unit (21) becomes able to communicate with the higher-level system (50), thereby stopping the power supply to the electric vehicle (100).

[0098] In the fifth embodiment of the charging control system (2), in any of the first to fourth embodiments, if an abnormal condition occurs due to a power outage of the external power supply (PS1), the control unit (20) controls the switching unit (22) to the control state before the power outage of the external power supply (PS1) occurred, once the communication unit (21) is able to communicate with the higher-level system (50) after the external power supply (PS1) has been restored.

[0099] According to this embodiment, after the external power supply (PS1) is restored, and until a new control command is received from the higher-level system (50), charging control can be performed in accordance with the control command received from the higher-level system (50) before the power outage occurred.

[0100] In the sixth embodiment of the charging control system (2), in the fifth embodiment, the control unit (20) controls the switching unit (22) to the OFF position when the external power supply (PS1) is restored after a power outage of the external power supply (PS1) has continued for a reset time or longer, until the communication unit (21) receives a control command from the higher-level system (50).

[0101] According to this embodiment, if the power outage continues for longer than the reset time, the control unit (20) controls the opening / closing unit (22) to turn off, thereby reducing the possibility of the electric vehicle (100) being charged against the user's intention.

[0102] In the seventh embodiment of the charging control system (2), in any of the first to sixth embodiments, a distributed power source (5) capable of supplying a charging current to the storage battery (101) is connected to the switch (22). When an abnormal condition occurs due to a power outage of the external power source (PS1), the control unit (20) controls the switch (22) to turn on, causing the distributed power source (5) to supply a charging current to the storage battery (101).

[0103] According to this embodiment, the power from the distributed power source (5) can be effectively utilized to supply a charging current to the electric vehicle (100).

[0104] The eighth embodiment of the charging control system (2) further includes a display unit (25) that indicates that the control unit (20) is performing offline operation, in any of the first to seventh embodiments.

[0105] According to this embodiment, it is possible to confirm that the control unit (20) is performing offline operation based on the display content of the display unit (25).

[0106] The charging control system (2) of the ninth embodiment further comprises a notification unit (21) that notifies that the control unit (20) is performing offline operation, in any of the first to eighth embodiments.

[0107] According to this embodiment, it is possible to confirm that the control unit (20) is performing offline operation based on the content notified by the notification unit (21).

[0108] The charger (1) of the tenth embodiment comprises a charging control system (2) of any of the first to ninth embodiments and an outlet (3) to which an electric vehicle (100) can be connected via a charging cable (W1). The switch (22) is connected between the outlet (3) and an external power supply (PS1).

[0109] According to this embodiment, even if an abnormal condition occurs, charging control can be performed in accordance with the control command from the higher-level system (50).

[0110] The charger system (A1) of the eleventh embodiment includes a charge control system (2) of any of the first to ninth embodiments and a host system (50).

[0111] According to this embodiment, even if an abnormal condition occurs, charging control can be performed in accordance with the control command from the higher-level system (50).

[0112] The charging control method of the twelfth embodiment includes a communication step of communicating with a higher-level system (50) and a control step. In the control step, when communication with the higher-level system (50) is possible, the switch (22) connected between the battery (101) of the electric vehicle (100) and the external power supply (PS1) is controlled to be on or off based on the control command received from the higher-level system (50) in the communication step. After an abnormal condition occurs in which communication with the higher-level system (50) becomes impossible, when communication with the higher-level system (50) becomes possible again, the control step controls the switch (22) to be on or off based on the control state before the abnormal condition occurred.

[0113] According to this embodiment, even if an abnormal condition occurs, charging control can be performed in accordance with the control command from the higher-level system (50).

[0114] The program of the 13th embodiment is a program for causing one or more processors to execute the charging control method of the 11th embodiment.

[0115] According to this embodiment, even if an abnormal condition occurs, charging control can be performed in accordance with the control command from the higher-level system (50).

[0116] Not limited to the above embodiments, various configurations (including modifications) of the charging control system (2) according to the above embodiment can be embodied in a charging control method, a (computer) program, or a non-temporary recording medium on which the program is recorded, etc., executed by the charging control system (2).

[0117] The configurations relating to the second to ninth aspects are not essential to the charging control system (2) and can be omitted as appropriate. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0118] 1 charger 2. Charging control system 3 outlets 5 Distributed power supply 20 Control Unit 21 Communications Department (Notification Department) 22 Opening / Closing Section 25 Display section 50 Higher-Level Systems 100 Electric vehicles 101 Storage Battery A1 Charger System PS1 external power supply W1 Charging Cable

Claims

1. A communication unit that communicates with the higher-level system, When the communication unit is in a state where it can communicate with the higher-level system, the communication unit controls the switching unit connected between the electric vehicle's battery and an external power supply to turn on or off based on the control command received from the higher-level system, and the control unit comprises: After an abnormal state occurs in which the communication unit becomes unable to communicate with the higher-level system, when the communication unit becomes able to communicate with the higher-level system, the control unit performs an offline operation to control the switching unit on or off based on the control state before the abnormal state occurred. Charging control system.

2. The control unit controls the switching unit to turn off after the abnormal condition occurs, until the communication unit becomes capable of communicating with the higher-level system. The charging control system according to claim 1.

3. The control unit determines that the abnormal condition has occurred if the state in which the communication unit is unable to communicate with the higher-level system continues for a determination period longer than the specified time. The charging control system according to claim 2.

4. If the abnormal condition occurs due to a power outage of the external power supply, the control unit controls the switching unit to turn off after the external power supply is restored and until the communication unit becomes capable of communicating with the higher-level system. The charging control system according to claim 1.

5. If the abnormal state occurs due to a power outage of the external power supply, the control unit, after the external power supply is restored and the communication unit becomes capable of communicating with the higher-level system, controls the switching unit to the control state it was in before the power outage of the external power supply occurred. The charging control system according to claim 1.

6. The control unit, when the external power supply is restored after a power outage of the external power supply has continued for a period longer than the reset time, controls the switching unit to turn off until the communication unit receives the control command from the higher-level system. The charging control system according to claim 5.

7. A distributed power supply capable of supplying a charging current to the aforementioned battery is connected to the switching unit. The control unit, in the event that the abnormal condition occurs due to a power outage of the external power supply, controls the switching unit to turn on, thereby supplying charging current from the distributed power supply to the storage battery. The charging control system according to claim 1.

8. The control unit further includes a display unit that indicates that it is operating offline. The charging control system according to claim 1.

9. The control unit further includes a notification unit that notifies that the control unit is operating offline. The charging control system according to claim 1.

10. A charging control system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, The electric vehicle is equipped with an outlet that can be connected via a charging cable, The aforementioned opening / closing part is connected between the outlet and the external power supply. charger.

11. A charging control system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, The above-mentioned higher-level system, including Charger system.

12. Communication steps for communicating with a higher-level system, When communication with the above-level system is possible, the control step includes controlling the switching unit connected between the electric vehicle's battery and an external power source to turn on or off based on the control command received from the above-level system in the communication step, After an abnormal state occurs in which communication with the higher-level system becomes impossible, if communication with the higher-level system becomes possible again, the control step controls the switching unit to turn on or off based on the control state before the abnormal state occurred. Charging control method.

13. One or more processors are used to perform the charging control method described in claim 12, program.

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