Detection device and detection method

Abstract

To provide a detection device and detection method that can detect the connection status with a charger, regardless of whether or not power is supplied from the charger to the electrical equipment. [Solution] The detection device of the embodiment includes a connection part that can be connected to a charger connected to an external power supply, The electrical device having a power storage unit that is charged by power from an external power source is provided with a connection detection unit that detects the connection state between the charger and the connection unit, wherein the connection detection unit detects that the charger is connected to the connection unit and power is not being supplied from the charger to the electrical device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a detection device and a detection method.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, in order to enable more people to access affordable, reliable, sustainable, and advanced energy, research and development have been conducted on secondary batteries that contribute to energy efficiency. In this context, in recent years, a charging control system has been known that is provided in an electric vehicle that can be charged from an external power source and cancels the setting of a charging schedule based on the connection state of an operable charger (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a fitting detection circuit formed across the charger side and the vehicle side in a state where a charging gun connected to a charger is connected to an inlet of a vehicle. Power is supplied from the charger side to the fitting detection circuit, and the fitting state of the charging gun and the charging inlet is detected based on the voltage applied to a resistor included in the fitting detection circuit. However, since the detection of fitting is performed based on the power supplied from the charger side, for example, when the charger is not connected to an external power source, even if the charging gun and the charging inlet are fitted, the fitting state cannot be detected.

[0005] This application was made in view of the above circumstances, and one of its objectives is to provide a detection device and detection method that can detect the connection status with a charger, regardless of whether or not power is supplied from the charger to the electrical equipment. This will ultimately contribute to energy efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The detection device and detection method according to this invention employ the following configuration. (1) A detection device according to one aspect of the present invention is provided on an electrical device having a connection part that can be connected to a charger connected to an external power source, and a power storage part that charges using power from the external power source, and a connection detection unit that detects the connection state between the charger and the connection part, wherein the connection detection unit detects that the charger is connected to the connection part when the charger is connected to the connection part and power is not being supplied from the charger to the electrical device.

[0007] (2): In the embodiment of (1) above, the charger is connected to the external power supply by a power plug connected to the charger on one end, and connected to the connection part by a connection plug connected to the charger on the other end, and the connection detection unit detects that the connection plug is connected to the connection part when the connection plug is connected to the connection part and the power plug is not connected to the external power supply.

[0008] (3) In the embodiment of (2) above, the device further comprises an input unit that inputs power supplied from the charger and power supplied from the energy storage unit when the charger is connected to the connection unit, and a control unit provided in the electrical equipment that is connected to both ends of a first resistor provided in the charger, wherein the input unit is connected between the first resistor and the energy storage unit on the electrical equipment side and outputs power supplied from the charger or the energy storage unit to the control unit when power is supplied from the charger and / or when power is supplied from the energy storage unit, and the connection detection unit detects the connection state based on the voltage input to the control unit.

[0009] (4): In the embodiment of (1) above, the connection detection unit detects the connection state using power supplied from the energy storage unit when there is no power supply from the external power supply.

[0010] (5) In the embodiment of (3) above, the control unit notifies the user of the electrical equipment of information indicating that the charger is connected.

[0011] (6): Another detection method according to the present invention is a detection method in which a computer of a detection device detects the connection status between a charger connected to an external power source and a connection part provided on an electrical device having a power storage unit that charges with power from the external power source, and detects that the charger is connected to the connection part and power is not being supplied from the charger to the electrical device, and that the charger is connected to the connection part. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the embodiments described in (1) to (6) above, the connection status with the charger can be detected regardless of whether or not power is supplied from the charger to the electrical equipment. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of the configuration of a charging system 1 including a detection device of an embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure specifically illustrates the detection of connection status and charging control in the embodiment. [Figure 3] This flowchart shows an example of the connection detection process in the embodiment. [Figure 4] This flowchart shows another example of the connection detection process in the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] Embodiments of the detection device and detection method of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the detection device will be described as being mounted on an electrical device that can operate using power supplied from an external power source. The electrical device is, for example, a mobile device, but is not limited to a mobile device. A mobile device is a movable object such as a vehicle, electric robot, ship, flying object (e.g., drone device), or electric kick scooter. In the following description, the mobile device will be described as a vehicle. In addition, the vehicle will be an electric vehicle such as an electric car, hybrid vehicle, or fuel cell vehicle.

[0015] [System Configuration] Figure 1 shows an example of the configuration of a charging system 1 including a detection device of an embodiment. The charging system 1 comprises, for example, a charging gun 100 and a vehicle 200. The configuration of the charging system 1 may also include an external power supply PS. The charging gun 100 is an example of a "charger" or "charging facility". The vehicle 200 is an example of a "mobile body", and in a higher-level concept, an example of an "electrical device". The charging gun 100 is a gun-type charger and is configured to be insertable and detachable from the connection part (inlet) on the vehicle 200 side.

[0016] The charging gun 100 includes, for example, a power plug PG1, an inlet plug (an example of a connection plug) PG2, a power supply unit 110, and a charging gun-side control unit 120. The power supply unit 110 and the charging gun-side control unit 120 are realized, for example, by a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). Furthermore, some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or by the cooperation of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in the HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or flash memory of the charging gun 100, or it may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the HDD or flash memory of the charging gun 100 when the storage medium (non-transient storage medium) is attached to the drive device. The charging gun side control unit 120 is an example of a "charger side control unit".

[0017] Power plug PG1 connects to an outlet (also called a socket or outlet) on the external power supply PS to obtain power (e.g., AC power) from the external power supply. Inlet plug PG2 connects to the vehicle 200 to supply power from the external power supply PS to the vehicle 200. For example, power plug PG1 can be easily attached and detached by hand to the outlet on the external power supply PS, and inlet plug PG2 can be easily attached and detached by hand to the connection part (inlet) on the vehicle 200.

[0018] The power supply unit 110 supplies the power supplied from the external power source PS via the power plug PG1 to the vehicle 200 based on the control information from the charging gun side control unit 120. Also, the power supply unit 110 may switch on / off the power supply according to an instruction from the charging gun side control unit 120. Note that the power supply unit 110 may adjust the magnitude of the external power (alternating current power) and supply it to the vehicle 200 side. Further, the power supply unit 110 may include a conversion unit that converts alternating current power into direct current power.

[0019] The charging gun side control unit 120 is, for example, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls the entire various components included in the charging gun 100. For example, the charging gun side control unit 120 performs various controls related to the power supply of the power supply unit 110 (such as switching on / off the supply and controlling the amount of power to be supplied). Also, when the inlet plug PG2 is connected to the vehicle 200, the charging gun side control unit 120 is electrically connected to the control unit on the vehicle 200 side (vehicle side control unit), and performs transmission and reception of signals (such as CPLT signals) by functions such as the CPLT (Control Pilot) function. The CPLT function is, for example, a function that performs connection confirmation between the charging gun 100 side (charging facility side) and the vehicle 200 side, and energization start based on confirmation on the vehicle 200 side. In the CPLT function, for example, the CPLT signal is transmitted and received through a signal line provided separately from the charging cable (for example, a cable that supplies power from the charging gun 100 to the power storage unit of the vehicle 200). Based on the state of the CPLT signal, information such as the connection state of the charging cable, the availability of power supply from the external power source PS to the vehicle 200, and the rated current can be obtained. The charging gun side control unit 120 controls the power supply unit 110 based on the information obtained from the CPLT signal and supplies a predetermined amount of power to the vehicle 200 side.

[0020] Also, a resistor (for example, the first resistor unit described later) for adjusting the internal power may be provided on the charging gun 100 side. The first resistor unit, for example, limits the current inside the charging gun 100, obtains a constant voltage, or reduces noise.

[0021] The vehicle 200 includes, for example, an inlet 210, a connection detection unit 220, an input unit 230, a switch unit 240, a battery unit 250, a sub-battery 255, a vehicle-side control unit 260, in-vehicle devices 270, a storage unit 280, and a DCDC converter 290. The battery unit 250 and the vehicle-side control unit 260 are realized, for example, by a hardware processor such as a CPU executing a program (software). Also, some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including a circuit unit; circuitry) such as an LSI, an ASIC, an FPGA, a GPU, etc., or may be realized by the cooperation of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device (a storage device including a non-transitory storage medium) such as an HDD or a flash memory of the vehicle 200, or may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or a CD-ROM, and may be installed in the HDD or flash memory of the vehicle 200 when the storage medium (non-transitory storage medium) is mounted on a drive device. The inlet 210 is an example of a "connection part". The switch unit 240 is an example of a "switching part". The vehicle-side control unit 260 is an example of a "control part" or a "mobility control part". The inlet 210, the connection detection unit 220, the input unit 230, and the vehicle-side control unit 260 are an example of a "detection device".

[0022] The storage unit 280 may be realized by the above various storage devices, or by an SSD (Solid State Drive), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The storage unit 280 stores, for example, a program, various other information (for example, information for notifying the user of the vehicle 200, etc.).

[0023] The inlet 210 is configured to be detachable from the inlet plug PG2. For example, the inlet 210 is provided in a position on the vehicle 200 that allows it to be exposed to the outside of the vehicle, and the inlet plug PG2 can be connected to the inlet 210. For example, the inlet 210 is connected by mating with the inlet plug PG2, and can receive power from the charging gun 100 when connected. Note that the inlet 210 and the inlet plug PG2 may be connected by means other than mating (for example, an engagement structure or a screw structure).

[0024] The connection detection unit 220 detects the connection status between the inlet 210 and the inlet plug PG2. The connection status refers to whether the inlet 210 and the inlet plug PG2 are properly connected by mating or other means (mated / unmated). Details of the function of the connection detection unit 220 will be described later.

[0025] The input unit 230 receives at least one of the following as input: the power supplied from the charging gun 100 (inlet plug PG2) and the power supplied from the vehicle 200 (for example, the power from the sub-battery 255) when the charging gun 100 (inlet plug PG2) is connected to the connection unit (inlet 210), and outputs the input power to the vehicle-side control unit 260, etc.

[0026] The switch unit 240 has a switch that toggles whether or not to supply power to the vehicle-side control unit 260. When power is supplied, the switch is in the ON state (conductive state), and when power is not supplied, the switch is in the OFF state (non-conductive state, interrupted state). The switching of the switch is performed, for example, based on instructions received from the user of the vehicle 200.

[0027] The battery unit (battery control unit) 250 includes, for example, a battery 252. The battery 252 is a secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery (LIB), nickel-metal hydride battery, or all-solid-state battery. The sub-battery 255 is, for example, a lead-acid battery. Battery 252 and sub-battery 255 are examples of "energy storage units". The battery unit 250 performs various controls on the battery 252. The battery unit 250 may also perform various controls on the sub-battery 255. The voltage of battery 252 is, for example, 96[V]. The voltage of sub-battery 255 is, for example, 12[V].

[0028] For example, the battery unit 250 charges the battery 252 with power (high voltage power) from the external power supply PS supplied from the charging gun 100, under the control of the vehicle-side control unit 260. The power from the battery 252 is stepped down to low voltage power by the DC-DC converter 290, and this low voltage power is supplied to the sub-battery 255. The sub-battery 255 also supplies power to various components of the vehicle 200 (e.g., onboard equipment 270, etc.) under the control of the vehicle-side control unit 260. The battery unit 250 also supplies power to the electric motor (motor driven by electricity) mounted on the vehicle 200, under the control of the vehicle-side control unit 260. As a result, the vehicle 200 can run on electricity.

[0029] The battery unit 250 may be equipped with a battery sensor that measures the voltage, current, temperature, etc., of the battery 252, and detects the charge state (for example, the State of Charge (SOC)). In this case, the detection results from the battery sensor are output to the vehicle-side control unit 260.

[0030] The vehicle-side control unit 260 is an ECU that controls the entire configuration of the vehicle 200. For example, the vehicle-side control unit 260 controls the connection detection process by the connection detection unit 220, the switching operation by the switch unit 240, the operation of the battery unit 250, and the power supply control and execution control of the in-vehicle equipment 270. The vehicle-side control unit 260 may also perform control related to the driving control and driver assistance control of the vehicle 200. The vehicle-side control unit 260 performs coordinated control of each component.

[0031] Furthermore, the vehicle-side control unit 260 is electrically connected to the charging gun-side control unit 120 when, for example, the inlet plug PG2 and the inlet 210 are connected, and performs signal transmission and reception using the CPLT function, etc., when connected. The vehicle-side control unit 260 and the connection detection unit 220 perform connection detection and control charging of the battery 252 based on information obtained from the CPLT signal, etc.

[0032] The in-vehicle device 270 includes, for example, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 272. The HMI 272 presents various information to the user (occupant) of the vehicle 200 and accepts input operations from the user. The HMI 272 includes, for example, a display unit and a speaker. The display unit is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display device. The display unit displays various images (including moving images) in the embodiment. The display unit may be configured to allow input and output as a touch panel. The speaker outputs predetermined sounds (e.g., alarms). In addition to the display unit and speaker, the HMI 272 may also include (or replace) a microphone, buzzer, switch, button, etc. For example, the HMI 272 may include a toggle switch that allows the user to switch whether or not to perform (or stop) charging the battery 252.

[0033] The in-vehicle equipment 270 may also include various vehicle sensors, a navigation system, a running gear for accelerating, decelerating, and steering the vehicle 200, and a driver assistance system that controls at least one of the steering or speed of the vehicle 200 to provide driving assistance. The vehicle sensors include a vehicle speed sensor for detecting the speed of the vehicle 200, an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration, a yaw rate sensor for detecting yaw rate (for example, the angular velocity of rotation around the vertical axis passing through the center of gravity of the vehicle 200), and a steering angle sensor for detecting the steering angle of the vehicle 200 (which may be the angle of the steering wheels or the operating angle of the steering wheel). The vehicle sensors may also include a position sensor for detecting the position of the vehicle 200, and measurement sensors (voltage sensors, current sensors) for measuring voltage and current values ​​at predetermined positions. The vehicle sensors may also include an object recognition sensor for recognizing objects around the vehicle 200. At least a portion of the results detected by the vehicle sensors may be output to the vehicle-side control unit 260, the connection detection unit 220, and other in-vehicle equipment.

[0034] The DC-DC converter 290 steps down the power from the battery 252. Additionally, the vehicle 200 may be provided with a resistor (for example, a second resistor section described later) to adjust the internal power. The second resistor section may, for example, limit the internal current of the vehicle 200, obtain a constant voltage, or reduce noise.

[0035] [Regarding connection status detection and charging control] Next, the detection of the connection state between the charging gun 100 and the vehicle 200 and the charging control in the embodiment will be described in detail. Figure 2 is a diagram for specifically illustrating the detection of the connection state and the charging control in the embodiment. Figure 2 also shows a simple circuit configuration related to the detection of the connection state between the charging gun 100 and the vehicle 200, but the actual configuration is not limited to the example in Figure 2.

[0036] In the example in Figure 2, the charging cable is omitted from the description, and the focus is mainly on the signal lines running parallel to the charging cable. In the example in Figure 2, two signal lines L1 and L2, one positive (+) and one negative (-), are shown connecting the charging gun side control unit 120 and the vehicle side control unit 260. In the example in Figure 2, a first resistor R1 is provided on the charging gun 100 side to adjust the power flowing through the signal lines L1 and L2, and a second resistor R2 is provided on the vehicle 200 side, which is connected to one of the two signal lines L1 and L2 to adjust the input power, and a voltage sensor V1 is provided to measure the voltage between the two signal lines L1 and L2. For example, by switching between charging start (e.g., High) and charging end (e.g., Low) via these signal lines using a CPLT signal, coordinated processing regarding charging control is performed between the charging gun 100 (charging gun side control unit 120) and the vehicle 200 (vehicle side control unit 260). Furthermore, the example in Figure 2 shows the inlet plug PG2 and inlet 210 connected.

[0037] In this embodiment, the connection status between the inlet plug PG2 and the inlet 210 is detected not only using power from the charging gun (external power source), but also even when the charging gun 100 is not receiving power from the external power source PS (for example, when the power plug PG1 is not connected to the outlet of the external power source PS). This prevents the user from forgetting to remove the inlet plug PG2 from the inlet 210 after charging and driving the vehicle 200. Furthermore, in this embodiment, detecting the connection status using a CPLT signal can reduce costs compared to adding new equipment.

[0038] Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, an input unit (OR circuit, logical disjunction circuit) 230 is provided in the line supplying power to the vehicle-side control unit 260, which receives at least one of the power supplied from the charging gun 100 and the power supplied from the sub-battery 255. The input unit 230 is provided on the vehicle 200 side and is connected, for example, between the first resistor R1 and the sub-battery 255. The first resistor R1 is connected between the charging gun-side control unit 120 and the vehicle-side control unit 260. The input unit 230 receives the power supplied from the charging gun 100 and / or the sub-battery 255 from the vehicle-side control unit 260, for example, when power is supplied from the charging gun 100 and / or when power is supplied from the sub-battery 255.

[0039] With this configuration, the input unit 230 can output power supplied from the sub-battery 255 to the vehicle-side control unit 260 when, for example, the power plug PG1 on the charging gun 100 side is not connected to the external power supply PS, and therefore no power is supplied from the external power supply PS. Thus, the connection detection unit 220 can detect the connection status between the charging gun 100 and the inlet 210 regardless of whether power is being supplied to the charging gun 100 or not. The input unit 230 may also be configured to prioritize outputting power from the charging gun 100 when power is input from both the charging gun 100 and the sub-battery 255. In this case, when power is input from both, the input unit 230 outputs an instruction to the battery unit 250 to suppress power output from the sub-battery 255. This makes it possible to suppress the power consumption of the sub-battery 255 during connection status detection.

[0040] For example, the connection detection unit 220 detects the voltages of signal lines L1 and L2 (voltages of the first resistor R1) using a voltage sensor V1 based on the power input from the input unit 230 to the vehicle-side control unit 260 (more specifically, the power adjusted by the second resistor R2), and detects the connection status of the charging gun 100 based on the detected voltage value. In this case, the connection detection unit 220 detects that the inlet plug PG2 and the inlet 210 are correctly connected (mated) if the voltage value is less than a predetermined value, and detects that they are not correctly connected (not mated or not mated) if the voltage value is above the predetermined value. This makes it possible to more appropriately detect the connection status of the charging gun 100 with a simple circuit configuration.

[0041] The above process is performed when the switch of the switch unit 240 is in the ON state (conductive state), but the connection state may be detected and charging control may be performed by switching the switch on and off. In the example in Figure 2, the switch unit 240 is connected between the input unit 230 and the second resistor unit R2. The second resistor unit R2 is connected to the signal line L1 on one end and to the switch unit 240 on the other end, and adjusts the voltage to the vehicle-side control unit 260 in response to the power from the switch unit 240.

[0042] The switch unit 240 switches between an ON state (conductive state) and an OFF state (non-conductive state, disconnected state) based on control information from the vehicle-side control unit 260. The vehicle-side control unit 260 generates control information to switch between the ON state and the OFF state based on information instructed by the user via the HMI 272, for example, and outputs the generated control information to the switch unit 240. For example, the vehicle-side control unit 260 switches to the ON state when it receives an instruction from the user to start charging, and switches to the OFF state when it receives an instruction to end (stop) charging.

[0043] Furthermore, the vehicle-side control unit 260 switches the switch unit 240 to the ON state, and if a voltage below a predetermined value is applied to the vehicle-side control unit 260 (=voltage across the first resistor R1 when mated), it instructs the battery unit 250 to start charging the battery 252. This allows the user to perform processes such as detecting the connection status and controlling charging according to their will (request).

[0044] The vehicle-side control unit 260 may output information (images, audio) regarding the connection status between the inlet plug PG2 and the inlet 210 (e.g., properly connected / not properly connected, etc.) and information (images, audio) regarding the charging status (e.g., charging started, charging in progress, charging finished, state of charge (SOC), etc.) to the HMI 272, or output it to a terminal device used by the user (e.g., a smartphone or tablet) to notify the user of the connection status and charging status.

[0045] For example, the vehicle-side control unit 260 outputs information such as "Charging gun is connected" from the HMI 272, etc., when the inlet plug PG2 and inlet 210 are connected. Also, even when the switch is turned ON, if the voltage value measured by the voltage sensor V1 is above a predetermined value, the vehicle-side control unit 260 outputs information such as "Please check if the plugs (power plug PG1, inlet plug PG2) are properly connected" or a message prompting the plugs to be connected from the HMI 272, etc. This allows the user to be notified of more accurate information regarding the connection status and charging control. By providing such notifications, the user can be prevented from driving the vehicle 200 with the charging gun 100 connected to the vehicle 200.

[0046] [Processing flow] Next, the processes performed by the charging system 1 in the embodiment will be described. In the following description, the connection detection process on the vehicle 200 side will be the main focus of the processes performed by the charging system 1.

[0047] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the connection detection process in the embodiment. The process in Figure 3 is for detecting that the charging gun 100 is connected to the inlet 210 of the vehicle 200. In the example in Figure 3, the connection detection unit 220 acquires a voltage value based on the power supplied from at least one of the charging gun 100 side and the vehicle 200 side (step S100).

[0048] Next, the connection detection unit 220 determines whether the acquired voltage value is less than a predetermined value (step S110). If it is determined that the voltage is less than the predetermined value, the vehicle-side control unit 260 notifies the user by outputting information to the HMI 272 or the like indicating that the charging gun 100 is connected (step S120). Also, if in the process of step S110 it is determined that the acquired voltage value is not less than the predetermined value, the vehicle-side control unit 260 notifies the user by outputting information to the HMI 272 prompting them to check the plugs (power plug PG1, inlet plug PG2) (step S130). This completes the processing of this flowchart.

[0049] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing another example of the connection detection process in the embodiment. In the process shown in Figure 4, the vehicle-side control unit 260 acquires the state of the switch unit 240 (step S200) and determines whether the switch unit 240 is in the ON state (conductive state) or not (step S210). If it is determined to be in the ON state, the connection detection unit 220 performs processing to detect the connection state. Specifically, the connection detection unit 220 acquires a voltage value based on the power supplied from at least one of the charging gun 100 side and the vehicle 200 side (step S220). Next, the connection detection unit 220 determines whether the acquired voltage value is less than a first predetermined value (step S230). Here, the first predetermined value is a threshold voltage for determining whether the charging gun is connected or not. If it is determined to be less than the first predetermined value, the vehicle-side control unit 260 notifies the user of information indicating that the charging gun is connected (step S240). Next, the connection detection unit 220 determines whether the acquired voltage value is equal to or greater than a second predetermined value (step S250). If it is determined that the value is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value, the vehicle-side control unit 260 instructs the battery unit 250 to start charging the battery 252 (step S252). This starts charging the battery 252 using power from the charging gun 100. Also, if it is determined in the process of step S250 that the acquired voltage value is not equal to or greater than the second predetermined value (i.e., less than the second predetermined value), the vehicle-side control unit 260 notifies the user by outputting information to the HMI 272 indicating that charging control will not be performed (step S254). Here, the second predetermined value is a threshold voltage used to determine whether it is OK to start charging, and is set to a value that is lower than the first predetermined value and lower than the voltage value acquired by the connection detection unit 220 when the system is functioning normally. For example, if for some reason the resistance value of the second resistor R2 becomes higher than normal, or the resistance value of the first resistor R1 becomes lower than normal and the voltage value acquired by the connection detection unit 220 becomes less than the second predetermined value, charging control will not be performed.

[0050] Furthermore, in the process of step S230, if it is determined that the acquired voltage value is not less than a first predetermined value (i.e., it is greater than or equal to the first predetermined value), the vehicle-side control unit 260 notifies the user by outputting information to the HMI 272 prompting them to check the plugs (power plug PG1, inlet plug PG2) (step S260). Also, in the process of step S210, if it is determined that the device is not in the ON state, the vehicle-side control unit 260 notifies the user by outputting information to the HMI 272, etc., indicating that charging control will not be executed because the device is not in the ON state (or information prompting the user to turn it ON) (step S270). This completes the processing of this flowchart.

[0051] [Differentiation] In this embodiment, even if the charging system 1 is configured such that the inlet plug PG2 is provided on the vehicle 200 side and the inlet 210 is provided on the charging gun 100 side, the same method may be applied to detect the connection state. Alternatively, as the connection state in this embodiment, an engagement portion may be provided at the mating portion between the inlet plug PG2 and the inlet 210, and a partially mated state may be detected depending on the state of the engagement portion (for example, whether or not it is properly engaged).

[0052] As described above, the detection device of the embodiment includes an inlet 210 (an example of a connection part) that can be connected to a charging gun 100 (an example of a charger) connected to an external power source, and a connection detection unit 220 provided on a vehicle 200 (an example of an electrical device) having a battery 252 (an example of a power storage unit) that is charged by power from an external power source, which detects the connection state between the charging gun 100 and the inlet 210. The connection detection unit 220 detects that the charging gun 100 is connected to the inlet 210 when the charging gun 100 is connected to the inlet 210 and power is not being supplied from the charging gun 100 to the vehicle 200. This makes it possible to detect the connection state with the charging gun 100 regardless of whether or not power is being supplied from the charging gun 100 to the vehicle 200.

[0053] For example, in this embodiment, the charging gun 100 is connected to an external power source PS by a power plug PG1 connected to the charging gun 100 on one end, and to an inlet 210 by an inlet plug (an example of a connecting plug) PG2 connected to the charging gun 100 on the other end. The connection detection unit 220 detects that the inlet plug PG2 is connected to the inlet 210 when the inlet plug PG2 is connected to the inlet 210 and the power plug PG1 is not connected to the external power source PS. In other words, in this embodiment, the connection status can be detected not only when the power plug PG1 of the charging gun 100 is connected to the outlet of the external power source PS, but also when it is not connected. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the user can more accurately understand the connection status with the charging gun 100, thus preventing the vehicle 200 from being moved while the charging gun 100 is connected to the vehicle 200.

[0054] The embodiments described above can be expressed as follows. A storage medium for storing computer-readable instructions in a power system equipped with multiple removable energy storage devices, A processor connected to the storage medium, The processor executes the computer-readable instructions to: The connection status between a charger connected to an external power source and a connection part provided on an electrical device having a power storage unit that charges using power from the external power source is detected. The charger is connected to the connection port, and when no power is being supplied from the charger to the electrical equipment, the system detects that the charger is connected to the connection port. Detection device.

[0055] Although embodiments for carrying out the present invention have been described above using examples, the present invention is not limited in any way to these embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0056] 1...Charging system, 100...Charging gun, 110...Power supply unit, 120...Charging gun side control unit, 200...Vehicle, 210...Inlet, 220...Connection detection unit, 230...Input unit, 240...Switch unit, 250...Battery unit, 252...Battery, 255...Sub-battery, 260...Vehicle side control unit, 270...In-vehicle equipment, 272...HMI, 280...Memory unit, 290...DC-DC converter

Claims

1. A connector that can be connected to a charger that is connected to an external power source, An electrical device having a power storage unit that is charged by power from the external power supply is provided with a connection detection unit that detects the connection state between the charger and the connection unit, The connection detection unit detects that the charger is connected to the connection unit while the charger is connected to the connection unit and power is not being supplied from the charger to the electrical equipment. Detection device.

2. The charger is configured such that one end can be connected to the external power supply via a power plug connected to the charger, and the other end can be connected to the connection port via a connection plug connected to the charger. The connection detection unit detects that the connection plug is connected to the connection part when the connection plug is connected to the connection part and the power plug is not connected to the external power supply. The detection device according to claim 1.

3. With the charger connected to the connection unit, the input unit receives power supplied from the charger and power supplied from the energy storage unit, The charger further comprises a control unit provided in the electrical equipment, which is connected to both ends of a first resistor provided in the charger, The input unit is connected between the first resistor and the energy storage unit on the electrical equipment side, and outputs the power supplied from the charger or the energy storage unit to the control unit when power is supplied from the charger and / or when power is supplied from the energy storage unit. The connection detection unit detects the connection state based on the voltage input to the control unit. The detection device according to claim 2.

4. The connection detection unit detects the connection status using power supplied from the energy storage unit when there is no power supply from the external power source. The detection device according to claim 1.

5. The control unit notifies the user of the electrical device of information indicating that the charger is connected. The detection device according to claim 3.

6. The computer of the detection device, The connection status between a charger connected to an external power source and a connection part provided on an electrical device having a power storage unit that charges using power from the external power source is detected. The charger is connected to the connection port, and when no power is being supplied from the charger to the electrical equipment, the system detects that the charger is connected to the connection port. Detection method.

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