Charging device and its operating method

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a charging device including a connection device and a power device. The connection device includes a power line, a control pilot line, and a proximity pilot line, and the power device includes a conversion circuit, an auxiliary power circuit, and a controller. The conversion circuit converts the signal source of the proximity pilot line to a first operating power source, and the auxiliary power circuit converts the power supplied by the electric vehicle to the power line to a second operating power source. When the controller is in a non-operating state, and the electric vehicle is connected to the connection device, the controller is started by the first operating power source and sets the operating mode to discharge mode. When the controller receives a second operating power source while operating in discharge mode, the controller changes the power source from the first operating power source to the second operating power source.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - reference to related applications) This disclosure claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 624,549, filed on January 24, 2024, entitled "Charging Device and Method of Operating the Same", and incorporates the entire content thereof by reference into this disclosure.

[0002] This disclosure relates to a charging device and a method of operating the same, and particularly to a charging device capable of controlling the discharge of an electric vehicle and a method of operating the same.

Background Art

[0003] The following FIGS. 1A and 1B show schematic diagrams of internal circuits when a conventional electric vehicle charging device is applied to V2X (Vehicle - to - everything). The discharge modes of V2X generally include vehicle - to - load V2L, vehicle - to - home V2H, vehicle - to - grid V2G, and vehicle - to - vehicle V2V as discharge modes. Specifically, in the discharge mode of vehicle - to - load V2L, one end of the charging device 100 is connected to a power supply socket, and the other end is connected to the electric vehicle 200. The electric vehicle 200 supplies AC power to the power supply socket through the charging device 100, and the power supply socket includes power output ports such as sockets and USB ports, and supplies power to the loads connected thereto. In the discharge modes of vehicle - to - home V2H and vehicle - to - grid V2G, one end of the charging device 100 is connected to an emergency power supply socket or a commercial power supply, and the other end is connected to the electric vehicle 200. When the household AC power fails, the electric vehicle 200 supplies AC power to the emergency power supply socket or the commercial power supply through the charging device 100 to provide emergency AC backup power. In the discharge mode of vehicle - to - vehicle V2V, one end of the charging device 100 is connected to the electric vehicle 200 on the power supply side, and the other end is connected to the electric vehicle 200 on the power receiving side. The electric vehicle 200 on the power supply side supplies AC power to the electric vehicle 200 on the power receiving side through the charging device 100 to provide backup power to the electric vehicle 200 on the power receiving side.

[0004] Generally, in the V2X discharge mode operation described above, the charger 100 lacks a wake-up function, and the controller inside the charger 100 cannot be activated when the electric vehicle 200 is discharging to the charger 100. Therefore, in the V2X discharge mode, a method is often employed to flow current through different resistors R6 and R7 by activating switch S3 (see Figure 1A), or to directly short-circuit the control pilot wire 14 (see Figure 1B). However, neither of these methods can immediately adjust the discharge current supplied by the electric vehicle 200, nor do they provide earth protection, overcurrent protection, overvoltage protection, or leakage current detection protection.

[0005] Therefore, a crucial issue that the inventors of this case should research is how to design a charging device and its operating method that can start the controller without using additional external power, even when the controller is inactive. [Overview of the project]

[0006] To solve the problems described above, this disclosure provides a charging device for overcoming the problems of the prior art. The charging device of this disclosure includes a connection device, which includes a power line, a control pilot line, and a proximity pilot line, one end of which is connected to a motor vehicle. The charging device further includes a power device, which is connected to the other end of the power line, the control pilot line, and the proximity pilot line. The power device includes a conversion circuit, an auxiliary power circuit, and a controller, the conversion circuit being connected to the proximity pilot line and the controller and converting the signal source of the proximity pilot line into a first operating power. The auxiliary power circuit being connected to the power line and the controller and converting the power supplied from the motor vehicle to the power line into a second operating power. Here, if the controller is in a non-operating state and the motor vehicle is connected to the connection device, the controller starts up based on the first operating power and sets the operating mode to be performed now to discharge mode. If the controller is operating in discharge mode and has received the second operating power, the controller changes the power source from the first operating power to the second operating power.

[0007] To solve the problems described above, the present disclosure provides a method for operating a charging device and overcomes the problems of the prior art. The charging device of the present disclosure includes a connector and a power device, the connector includes a power line, a control pilot line and a proximity pilot line, and the power device includes a switch, a conversion circuit and an auxiliary power circuit. The method for operating includes (a) the steps of: (a) with the power device in a non-operating state, the conversion circuit detecting a connection to the connector of an electric vehicle and converting a signal source on the proximity pilot line to a first operating power source; (b) based on the first operating power source, setting the operating mode to be performed now to discharge mode, communicating with the electric vehicle via the control pilot line via a handshake and receiving power supplied by the electric vehicle to the power line; and (c) the auxiliary power circuit converting the power source to a second operating power source. If a second operating power source is received, changing the power source from the first operating power source to the second operating power source.

[0008] The main purpose and effect of this disclosure is that, when the electric vehicle is connected to the coupling device while the controller is inactive, the power used by the electric vehicle to confirm the connection with the coupling device can be used to start the controller, and subsequent operations can be performed after the controller is started. Furthermore, since this power supply-based starting method does not require additional external power to be supplied to the controller, it is possible to reduce the cost of external power supply and achieve miniaturization of the device.

[0009] To gain a deeper understanding of this disclosure, please refer to the following detailed description and attached drawings of the technologies, means, and effects employed to achieve the specified objectives. This will provide a more concrete understanding of the objectives, features, and characteristics of this disclosure. Please note that the attached drawings are for reference and explanation purposes only and do not limit this disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1A] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the internal circuitry of a conventional electric vehicle charging device applied to V2X. [Figure 1B] This is a schematic diagram of the internal circuitry showing another example of how a conventional electric vehicle charging device can be applied to V2X. [Figure 2]This is a schematic diagram of the internal circuitry of a first embodiment in which the charging device of the present disclosure is applied to V2X. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of the internal circuitry of a second embodiment in which the charging device of this disclosure is applied to V2X. [Figure 4A] This is a schematic diagram illustrating a first operating process in which the charging device of this disclosure is applied to V2X. [Figure 4B] This is a schematic diagram illustrating a second operating process in which the charging device of this disclosure is applied to V2X. [Figure 4C] This is a schematic diagram illustrating a third operating process to which the charging device of this disclosure is applied to V2X. [Figure 4D] This is a schematic diagram illustrating a fourth operating process in which the charging device of this disclosure is applied to V2X. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows the operation method of the charging device disclosed herein. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The technical content and detailed explanation related to this disclosure are described below with reference to the drawings.

[0012] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the internal circuit in a first embodiment in which the charging device 100 of this disclosure is applied to V2X; please also refer to Figures 1A to 1B. One end of the charging device 100 is connected to the electric vehicle 200, and the other end can be connected to an emergency power supply socket, a receiving electric vehicle, a streetcar, or other device. If the connected device is a streetcar and power is supplied to the streetcar, the streetcar can, for example, supply AC power or DC power to the charging device 100, but is not limited to these. The charging device 100 communicates with the electric vehicle 200 and supplies power P to the electric vehicle 200 to perform charging (this operation is referred to as "charging mode"). In addition, the charging device 100 of this disclosure is also applicable to the discharge operation of V2X. In other words, after the charging device 100 is connected to the electric vehicle 200, the operating mode is set to V2X mode, and the power supplied by the electric vehicle 200 is transmitted to devices 300 such as an emergency power supply socket, a receiving electric vehicle, or a streetcar during a power outage (hereinafter collectively referred to as "load 300"), thereby supplying power to the load 300. Note that V2X mode includes discharge modes such as vehicle-to-load V2L, vehicle-to-home V2H, vehicle-to-grid V2G, and vehicle-to-vehicle V2V, but for simplicity, they will be collectively referred to as "discharge modes" below.

[0013] Furthermore, the charging device 100 includes a connection device 1 and a power device 2, where the connection device 1 may be a device such as a connector or a detachable cable. The connection device 1 includes a power line 12, a control pilot line 14, and a proximity pilot line 16, with one end of each of these power line 12, control pilot line 14, and proximity pilot line 16 connected to the electric vehicle 200. The power line 12 includes a live line L, a neutral line N, and an earth line PE (i.e., a grounding wire). The control pilot line 14 is connected to a trigger circuit 18, which includes resistors R6 and R7 connected in series and a trigger switch S3 connected in parallel to resistor R7. The function of the trigger circuit 18 is to change the impedance on the proximity pilot line 16 when the user presses the trigger switch S3 when connecting the connection device 1 to the electric vehicle 200. As a result, the voltage on the proximity pilot line 16 changes due to the change in current and impedance flowing through the proximity pilot line 16. The electric vehicle 200 can detect this voltage change to confirm that the connection between the electric vehicle 200 and the connection device 1 is complete, and can then perform subsequent operations based on this confirmation.

[0014] In one embodiment, the trigger circuit 18 is a dedicated circuit required by a specific electric vehicle manufacturer and is not a mandatory circuit. Therefore, the connection device 1 can configure the trigger circuit 18 according to the requirements of each electric vehicle manufacturer, or it is possible to connect only a single resistor between the proximity pilot wire 16 and the ground wire PE. Furthermore, it is possible to provide only a single proximity pilot wire 16 on this path and omit the other circuits. Therefore, it is not limited to the configuration in Figure 2. Also, in one embodiment, the power line 12 shown in Figure 2 is illustrated only as a configuration applicable to a single-phase AC power supply, but the power line 12 can actually be adjusted as appropriate depending on whether the power supply P is a single-phase AC power supply, a three-phase AC power supply, or a DC power supply. Further detailed explanations are omitted in this specification.

[0015] The first end 2A of the power unit 2 is connected to the other ends of the power line 12, the control pilot line 14, and the proximity pilot line 16, and the second end 2B of the power unit 2 is connected to devices such as a streetcar and a load 300. The power unit 2 includes a conversion circuit 22, an auxiliary power supply circuit 24, and a controller 26, the controller 26 may be a single control chip or a control module consisting of multiple control chips and additional control circuits. The conversion circuit 22 is connected to the proximity pilot line 16 and the controller 26, and the conversion circuit 22 has the function of converting a signal source Sp on the proximity pilot line 16 into a first operating power supply Pw1. The auxiliary power supply circuit 24 is connected to the controller 26 via the live line L and neutral line N of the power line 12, and converts the power supply P supplied by the electric vehicle 200 to the power line 12 into a second operating power supply Pw2.

[0016] To explain in more detail, when the power unit 2 is operating in charging mode and power supply P is input to the second terminal 2B, the controller 26 starts up and can supply power supply P to the electric vehicle 200 to charge the electric vehicle 200. However, when power supply P is not input to the second terminal 2B, the controller 26 is inactive because it is not supplied with a power source, and as a result the power unit 2 does not function and has no control means whatsoever. Normally, in order to change the operating mode of the power unit 2 to discharge mode, additional external power (for example, an external battery or external power supply, but not limited to these) is required to power the controller 26 in order to start the controller 26. Therefore, the power unit 2 requires an additional power supply configuration, which results in increased cost and an increase in the size of the device. In this disclosure, when the electric vehicle 200 is connected to the connection device 1 while the controller 26 is in an inactive state, the power used by the electric vehicle 200 to confirm the completion of the connection with the connection device 1 is used to start the controller 26. Once the controller 26 is started up in this way, subsequent operations can be performed. Furthermore, this power supply startup method eliminates the need to supply external power to the controller 26, thereby reducing the configuration cost of the external power supply and achieving the effect of reducing the volume of the device.

[0017] To explain in more detail, when the controller 26 loses its power source and is in a non-operating state, and the electric vehicle 200 is connected to the connection device 1, the controller 26 starts up based on the first operating power supply Pw1. Once the controller 26 has finished starting up, it becomes able to control the power device 2. Since no power supply P is input to the second terminal 2B, the controller 26 sets the operating mode to be performed now to discharge mode and performs subsequent operations based on that. After that, when the controller 26 operates in discharge mode and receives the second operating power supply Pw2, it means that the electric vehicle 200 has supplied power supply P to the power line 12, and the auxiliary power supply circuit 24 becomes able to convert power supply P into the second operating power supply Pw2.

[0018] Here, the controller 26, after being started primarily by receiving the first operating power supply Pw1, notifies the electric vehicle 200 of the switch to discharge mode by changing the impedance on the proximity pilot line 16. Specifically, because the voltage on the proximity pilot line 16 changes due to the change in the current and impedance flowing through the proximity pilot line 16, the controller 26 sets the voltage on the proximity pilot line 16 to a specific voltage, for example by adjusting its own load. As a result, the electric vehicle 200 can recognize that the current operating mode is discharge mode based on this specific voltage.

[0019] The first operating power supply Pw1 is a temporary emergency power supply. Normally, it only meets the minimum operating requirements of the controller 26 and is insufficient to support the complete operation of the controller 26. On the other hand, the second operating power supply Pw2 has sufficient energy and a relatively stable power source, so it can meet the complete operation of the controller 26. Therefore, the controller 26 changes the power supply source from the first operating power supply Pw1 to the second operating power supply Pw2 and switches to the second operating power supply Pw2 that can provide a more stable supply to maintain the stability of the operation of the controller 26. In addition to the characteristics and operations of the above-described circuit, the present disclosure also includes a circuit configuration and an operation process that can be appropriately adjusted within the standards of the charging technology field of electric vehicles. In the following description, in order to explain in detail the more optimal circuit configuration and operation method in the present disclosure, further detailed description is omitted here. Therefore, as long as the charging device 100 applies the circuit configuration and operation method shown in FIG. 2, it shall be included in the scope of rights of the present disclosure.

[0020] Referring to FIG. 2 again, the power device 2 of the present disclosure may further include a switch SW, a detection module 32, a first control lead module 34, and a second control lead module 36. The switch SW is connected in series to the power line 12 and is connected to the controller 26. In one embodiment, the switch SW may be, for example, a switch such as a relay or a semiconductor element, and a more preferred embodiment is to use a relay, but it is not limited thereto. The switch SW is mainly connected to the power supply path of the live wire L and the power supply path of the neutral wire N. When the switch SW is turned on or off, these two power supply paths are interlocked and are simultaneously turned on or simultaneously turned off. Since the earth wire PE is the common grounding point of all components, there is no need to control the conduction or interruption of its path with the switch SW.

[0021] Furthermore, when the controller 26 is in a non-operating state, no power is supplied to the controller, so the switch SW cannot be controlled and the switch SW is in an off state. Also, even when the controller 26 receives the first operating power source Pw1, the controller 26 has not yet completed communication with the electric vehicle 200 and there is no supply of the power source P, so the switch SW still maintains the off state. After that, when the power supply source switches to the second operating power source Pw2, this means that the controller 26 has completed communication with the electric vehicle 200 and the power source P is being supplied to the power line 12. For this reason, the controller 26 controls the switch SW to be conductive and supplies the power source P to the load 300 via the switch SW.

[0022] The detection module 32 is connected to the power line 12 and the controller 26, and when the power source P is supplied through the power line 12, it detects the power source P and generates a power parameter Ps. The controller 26 selectively controls the switch SW to be conductive or off based on the power parameter Ps. When the power parameter Ps is abnormal, the controller 26 turns off the switch SW to cut off the power line 12 and prevent the supply of the power source P. Conversely, when the power parameter Ps is normal, the controller 26 turns on the switch SW to close the circuit of the power line 12 and enables the power line 12 to supply the power source P through the conduction of the switch SW. Referring to FIG. 2 again, the detection module 32 can include a plurality of detection circuits. For example, a voltage detection circuit 320, a current detection circuit 322, a ground detection circuit 324, a contact welding detection circuit 326, a leakage detection circuit 328, a temperature detection circuit 329, etc. can be mentioned. The temperature detection circuit 329 is connected to the controller 26, and the voltage detection circuit 320, the current detection circuit 322, the ground detection circuit 324, the contact welding detection circuit 326, and the leakage detection circuit 328 are each connected to the power line 12 and the controller 26.

[0023] The voltage detection circuit 320 detects the voltage from the first terminal 2A to the switch SW and generates a voltage signal Sv. The controller 26 determines whether the voltage of the power line 12 is normal based on the voltage signal Sv. The current detection circuit 322 detects the current from the first terminal 2A to the switch SW and generates a current signal Si. The ground detection circuit 324 detects the ground impedance from the first terminal 2A to the switch SW and generates an impedance signal Sm. Based on the impedance signal Sm, the controller 26 determines whether the grounding state of the power device 2 is normal. The contact welding detection circuit 326 is connected to the power line 12 between the switch SW and the second terminal 2B and detects whether the contacts of the switch SW are welded and generates a welding signal Se. Based on the welding signal Se, the controller 26 determines whether the switch SW can shut off normally. The leakage current detection circuit 328 is connected to the power line 12 between the switch SW and the second terminal 2B and detects whether a leakage current is occurring in the power line 12 and generates a leakage current signal Sr. The controller 26 determines whether a leakage current is occurring on the power line 12 based on the leakage signal Sr. The temperature detection circuit 329 detects the ambient temperature inside the power device 2 and generates a temperature signal St. The controller 26 determines whether the temperature inside the power device 2 has risen excessively based on the temperature signal St.

[0024] Therefore, the power supply parameters Ps include a voltage signal Sv, a current signal Si, an impedance signal Sm, a welding signal Se, a leakage signal Sr, and a temperature signal St, and the controller 26 determines whether to control the conduction or interruption of the switch SW based on these signals. Furthermore, the controller 26 can determine whether the power supply P on the power line 12 is in a state of overvoltage / undervoltage (OV / UV), overcurrent (OC), grounding abnormality, contact welding, or leakage current based on the voltage signal Sv, current signal Si, impedance signal Sm, welding signal Se, and leakage signal Sr. In addition, the controller 26 can determine whether the ambient temperature inside the power device 2 is in an overheating (OT) state based on the temperature signal St.

[0025] If the above-described situation does not occur, the controller 26 completes handshake communication with the electric vehicle 200, and when the power supply source is the second operating power supply Pw2, controls the switch SW to conduct, enabling the supply of power P via the power line 12. Conversely, if an abnormal condition other than contact welding occurs, the controller 26 controls the switch SW to disconnect, disconnecting the power line 12 and preventing the supply of power P. If contact welding occurs, the switch SW cannot be properly disconnected, so the controller 26 can, for example, communicate with the electric vehicle 200 via the control pilot line 14 to notify the electric vehicle 200 to stop supplying power P. Alternatively, the supply of power P to the power line 12 can be stopped by changing the impedance of the proximity pilot line 16, which prompts the electric vehicle 200 to detect a connection abnormality and interrupt the output of power P.

[0026] Referring again to Figure 2, the first control lead module 34 is connected to the control pilot line 14 and the controller 26. The controller 26 can confirm the magnitude of the dischargeable current by transmitting a pulse width modulation signal PWM via the first control lead module 34 and performing handshake communication with the electric vehicle 200. At the same time, the controller 26 determines the state of the electric vehicle 200 through the voltage level of the pulse width modulation signal PWM. This allows the controller to understand the power supply capacity of the electric vehicle 200, set parameters such as the upper limit of the dischargeable current based on that capacity, and notify the electric vehicle 200 of the supply of power P. Meanwhile, the second control lead module 36 is connected to the controller 26 and the second terminal 2B. If the load 300 is also capable of performing handshake communication with the power device 2 (for example, not limited to the case where the load 300 is the receiving electric vehicle), the controller 26 can transmit a pulse width modulation signal PWM via the second control lead module 36 and communicate with the load 300 to confirm the magnitude of the chargeable current. After the three parties have completed mutual communication, the electric vehicle 200 is notified to supply power P to the power line 12. In one embodiment, the switch SW can be controlled by a drive circuit Dr, but if the drive circuit Dr is not required for the operation of the switch SW, this component can be omitted.

[0027] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the internal circuit in a second embodiment in which the charging device 100 of this disclosure is applied to V2X; please also refer to Figure 2. The circuit configurations in Figure 3 and Figure 2 are similar, but in Figure 3, the conversion circuit 22 and the auxiliary power supply circuit 24 are connected to the controller 26, whereas in Figure 2, the conversion circuit 22 is connected to both the auxiliary power supply circuit 24 and the controller 26. Therefore, the controller 26 receives the first operating power supply Pw1 via an independent path from the conversion circuit 22 to the controller 26, and receives the second operating power supply Pw2 via an independent path from the auxiliary power supply circuit 24 to the controller 26. Consequently, when the controller 26 receives the second operating power supply Pw2 while operating in discharge mode, the controller 26 switches the power supply source from the first operating power supply Pw1 to the second operating power supply Pw2, disables the receiving terminal of the first operating power supply Pw1, and simultaneously puts the conversion circuit 22 into standby mode or stops the operation of the conversion circuit 22, thereby suppressing energy consumption. Alternatively, the controller 26 can continuously enable the terminal receiving the first operating power supply Pw1 and adjust the load to set the voltage of the proximity pilot line 16 to a specific voltage, thereby continuously confirming that the electric vehicle 200 is in discharge mode. Furthermore, the conversion circuit 22 may be a bidirectional converter. By controlling the conversion circuit 22, the controller 26 can not only adjust the voltage of the proximity pilot line 16 to a specific voltage, but also change it to another voltage, thereby changing the current operating mode (e.g., standby mode, abnormal mode, etc.).

[0028] Furthermore, referring to Figures 2 and 3, the conversion circuit 22 may also be a boost converter, and the controller 26 can control the boost converter to a standby or non-operating state when switching the power supply source to the second operating power supply Pw2. More specifically, after the connection device 1 is connected to the electric vehicle 200, the power device 2 can supply an appropriate first operating power supply Pw1 by boosting the voltage of the signal source Sp (i.e., the potential difference between the proximity pilot line 16 and the ground line PE, e.g., 0.5V to 1.5V) (e.g., to 3.3V or 5V, but not limited thereto), thereby activating the controller 26. After the controller 26 is activated, it notifies the electric vehicle 200 of the switch to discharge mode by changing the voltage of the proximity pilot line 16 to a specific voltage. Herein, in one embodiment, the conversion circuit 22 is not limited to a boost converter. Specifically, due to the design of the charging device 100, the voltage of the signal source Sp is usually low and not sufficient to activate the controller 26 (e.g., less than 3.3V). However, if the voltage of the signal source Sp already exceeds the voltage required to start the controller 26 (e.g., 9V), the conversion circuit 22 may be a buck converter. Therefore, the design of the conversion circuit 22 is determined by whether the voltage of the signal source Sp meets the starting requirements of the controller 26, and it can be configured as a boost converter, a buck converter, or other type of converter.

[0029] Furthermore, a key feature of this disclosure is that the controller 26 is activated during discharge mode and communicates with the electric vehicle 200 via handshake communication, allowing the magnitude of the electric vehicle 200's discharge current to be confirmed. Therefore, the magnitude of the electric vehicle 200's discharge current can be adjusted by the user. For example, it can be adjusted using a button, Bluetooth®, or an app. In addition, while the power line 12 is originally equipped with a fuse, overcurrent protection against different discharge currents can be achieved by utilizing the multiple detection modules 32 described above. Note that in one embodiment, circuit configurations, connection relationships, and operating methods not shown in Figure 3 can be understood by referring to Figure 2, and therefore, further detailed explanations are omitted in this specification.

[0030] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the reason why the conversion circuit 22 is not included in the control pilot line 14 in Figures 2 and 3 is that the high voltage level of the pulse width modulation signal (PWM) is typically around 5V. Therefore, if the operating power supply requirement for the controller 26 is 3.3V, there is no need to further boost 5V using the conversion circuit 22. Instead, the operating power supply supplied to the controller 26 can be stabilized to 3.3V by adding a stabilized power supply (e.g., a linear regulator). Thus, one of the features and effects of this disclosure is that, due to the electrical circuit configuration of the V2X, the controller can be automatically started by boosting the voltage of the signal source Sp (i.e., the potential difference between the proximity pilot line 16 and the ground line PE). This eliminates the need to install an additional battery in the V2X product, and also eliminates the need to pre-charge the V2X product before operation, enabling a self-starting function.

[0031] Figures 4A to 4D are schematic diagrams showing the first to fourth operating steps when the charging device of this disclosure is applied to V2X; please also refer to Figures 2 to 3. Figures 4A to 4D show an example of the optimal operating method in this disclosure, but not the only way of implementation. Therefore, technicians of the art can selectively combine the operating steps shown in Figures 4A to 4D and further add detailed operating steps that conform to other standards to perform the discharge mode operation. For this reason, the discharge mode operation does not need to include all the steps of this disclosure, nor does it need to strictly follow the order in which they are shown.

[0032] As shown in Figure 4A, when the connection device 1 is not yet connected to the electric vehicle 200, the controller 26 is in a non-operating state because it is not supplied with power, and it cannot control the switch SW to conduct, resulting in the power supply path being interrupted. When the connection device 1 is connected to the electric vehicle 200, the electric vehicle 200 supplies a signal source Sp to the proximity pilot line 16, regardless of whether the user presses the trigger switch S3 or not. In addition, the signal source Sp is usually voltage-divided by resistors R6 and R7 and used to confirm whether the electric vehicle 200 has completed the connection with the connection device 1. In addition to this function, in this disclosure, the voltage of the signal source Sp is converted to an appropriate voltage by the conversion circuit 22 and supplied as the first operating power supply Pw1 necessary for the operation of the controller 26. This allows the controller 26 to return from the non-operating state to the starting state and begin operation.

[0033] When the controller 26 starts operating, it can notify the electric vehicle 200 of the switch to discharge mode by changing the voltage on the proximity pilot line 16 to a specific voltage. One specific adjustment method is for the controller 26 to set the voltage on the proximity pilot line 16 to a specific voltage by adjusting its own load. Alternatively, resistors R6 and R7 may be variable resistors, and the controller 26 can change the voltage on the proximity pilot line 16 to a specific voltage by adjusting the impedance of these resistors. In one embodiment, there are multiple methods for the controller 26 to change the voltage on the proximity pilot line 16 to a specific voltage, but a detailed explanation of these methods is omitted in this specification.

[0034] As shown in Figure 4B, after the controller 26 notifies the electric vehicle 200 of the switch to discharge mode, the controller 26 transmits a pulse width modulation signal (PWM) to the electric vehicle 200 via the control pilot line 14 and performs handshake communication to obtain the magnitude of the electric vehicle 200's dischargeable current and the state of the electric vehicle 200. This allows the controller to understand the electric vehicle 200's supply capacity and set parameters such as the upper limit of the dischargeable current based on that capacity. As shown in Figure 4C, the controller completes the handshake communication with the electric vehicle 200, obtains the electric vehicle 200's supply capacity, and then sets parameters such as the upper limit of the dischargeable current. Therefore, the controller 26 can notify the electric vehicle 200 to start discharging to the power line 12. After the electric vehicle supplies power P to the power line 12, the auxiliary power supply circuit 24 converts the power P on the power line 12 into the operating power supply necessary for the operation of the controller 26 (i.e., the second operating power supply Pw2).

[0035] Subsequently, when the controller 26 receives the second operating power supply Pw2, the controller 26 switches the main power supply source from the conversion circuit 22 to the auxiliary power supply circuit 24. Furthermore, to reduce power consumption, the controller 26 can put the conversion circuit 22 into standby mode or stop the operation of the conversion circuit 22. Alternatively, the controller 26 can switch the current operating mode (e.g., standby mode or abnormal mode) not only by adjusting the voltage of the proximity pilot line 16 to a specific voltage, but also by changing it to another voltage, thereby notifying the electric vehicle 200 of the current status. At this point, the controller 26 has not yet checked whether the quality of the power supply P conforms to the standard (this can be detected by the detection module 32), so the controller 26 does not control the conduction of the switch SW, and as a result, the power supply P is not yet supplied to the downstream load 300. As shown in Figure 4D, after the controller 26 confirms that the quality of the power supply P conforms to the standard via the detection module 32, the controller 26 conducts the switch SW, supplying the power supply P to the downstream load 300 via the power line 12, thereby powering the downstream load 300. In this way, the startup operation of V2X is completed by going through the series of steps shown in Figures 4A to 4D.

[0036] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation method of the charging device of this disclosure; please also refer to Figures 2 to 4D. The operation method shown in Figure 5 applies to a charging device 100 that charges and discharges an electric vehicle 200. The charging device 100 includes a connection device 1 and a power device 2, the connection device 1 including a power line 12, a control pilot line 14, and a proximity pilot line 16. The power device 2 also includes a switch SW, a conversion circuit 22, and an auxiliary power circuit 24. The operation method of the charging device 100 aims to activate the controller 26 of the power device 2 in discharge mode, enabling it to identify and adjust the discharge current supplied by the electric vehicle 200. It also aims to provide earth protection, overcurrent protection, overvoltage protection, and leakage current detection protection when the electric vehicle 200 is discharging. Specifically, the operation method of the charging device 100 includes the following steps. First, with the power device in a non-operating state, the conversion circuit converts the signal source on the proximity pilot line to a first operating power source based on the electric vehicle being connected to the connection device 1 (S100). The operation of step S100 can be seen in conjunction with Figure 4A, so a detailed explanation is omitted here.

[0037] Next, based on the first operating power supply, the operating mode to be performed is set to discharge mode, and a handshake communication is performed with the electric vehicle via the control pilot line to receive power supplied by the electric vehicle to the power line (S200). Furthermore, the auxiliary power supply circuit converts the power supply to a second operating power supply (S300). Note that the operation of steps S200 to S300 can be referred to in conjunction with Figures 4B to 4C, so a detailed explanation is omitted in this specification. Finally, upon receiving the second operating power supply, the power supply source is switched from the first operating power supply to the second operating power supply (S400). Note that the operation of step S400 can be referred to in conjunction with Figure 4D, so a detailed explanation is omitted here. Note that in one embodiment, detailed operation processes not shown in Figure 5 can be referred to in conjunction with Figures 2 to 4D, so no further detailed explanation is provided in this specification.

[0038] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the attached drawings, but the features of the present disclosure are not limited thereto and are not restrictive. The technical scope of the present disclosure is based on the following claims, and embodiments that are consistent with the spirit thereto and have similar modifications are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, variations and modifications that a person skilled in the art could easily conceive of within the technical scope of the present disclosure are also included in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 100: Charging device 1: Connection device 12: Power lines L: Live wire N: Neutral wire PE: Ground wire 14: Control pilot line 16: Proximity Pilot Line 18: Trigger Circuit R6, R7: Resistance S3: Trigger switch 2: Power equipment 2A: 1st end 2B: 2nd end 22: Conversion Circuit 24: Auxiliary power circuit 26: Controller SW: Switch 32: Detection Module 320: Voltage detection circuit 322: Current detection circuit 324: Ground detection circuit 326: Contact welding detection circuit 328: Leakage current detection circuit 329: Temperature detection circuit 34: First control reed module 36: Second control reed module Dr: Drive Circuit Fuse: Fuse 200:Electric vehicle 300: Load P:Power supply Sp: Signal source Pw1: 1st operating power supply Pw2: 2nd operating power supply Ps: Power parameters Sv: Voltage signal Si: Current signal Sm: Impedance signal Se: Welding signal Sr: Earth leakage signal St: Temperature signal PWM: Pulse Width Modulation Signal S100~S400: Step

Claims

1. A connecting device having a power line, a control pilot line, and a proximity pilot line, one end of which is connected to an electric vehicle, Includes a power device connected to the other end of the power line, the control pilot line, and the proximity pilot line, The aforementioned power device is A conversion circuit connected to the proximity pilot line for converting the signal source of the proximity pilot line into a first operating power supply, An auxiliary power supply circuit connected to the aforementioned power line, which converts the power supplied from the electric vehicle to the aforementioned power line into a second operating power supply, The controller includes the conversion circuit and the auxiliary power supply circuit, A charging device wherein, when the controller is in a non-operating state and the electric vehicle is connected to the connection device, the controller starts up based on the first operating power supply and sets the operating mode to be performed now to discharge mode, and when the controller is operating in the discharge mode and receives the second operating power supply, the controller changes the power supply source from the first operating power supply to the second operating power supply.

2. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the controller, after being activated by receiving the first operating power, changes the voltage on the proximity pilot line to a specific voltage and notifies the electric vehicle to switch to discharge mode.

3. The charging device according to claim 2, wherein after transitioning to the discharge mode, the device confirms the magnitude of the discharge current of the electric vehicle by performing handshake communication with the electric vehicle via the control pilot line, and instructs the electric vehicle to start supplying the power based on the discharge current.

4. The power device further includes a switch connected in series with the power line and connected to the controller, The charging device according to claim 1, wherein when the controller is in a non-operating state, the switch is in an off state, and when the controller switches the power supply source to the second operating power supply, the switch is controlled to conduct, and the power supply is supplied to the load via the switch.

5. The power device further includes a detection module connected to the power line and the controller, which detects the power supply and generates power supply parameters. The charging device according to claim 4, wherein the controller controls the conduction or interruption of the switch based on the power supply parameters.

6. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the conversion circuit to a standby state or a non-operating state when the power supply source is switched to the second operating power source.

7. A method for operating a charging device including a connecting device and a power device, wherein the connecting device includes a power line, a control pilot line and a proximity pilot line, and the power device includes a switch, a conversion circuit and an auxiliary power circuit. The aforementioned operation method is, With the power device in a non-operating state, the conversion circuit converts the signal source of the proximity pilot line to a first operating power source based on the fact that the electric vehicle is connected to the connection device; Based on the first operating power supply, the operating mode to be performed is set to discharge mode, a handshake communication is performed with the electric vehicle via the control pilot line, and the electric vehicle receives power supplied to the power line, The auxiliary power supply circuit converts the power supply into a second operating power supply, A method for operating a charging device, comprising the step of switching the power supply source from the first operating power source to the second operating power source when the second operating power source is received.

8. After receiving the first operating power supply and starting the power device, the step of changing the voltage of the proximity pilot line to a specific voltage, The method for operating a charging device according to claim 7, further comprising the step of notifying the electric vehicle that the operating mode to be performed at present is the discharge mode, based on the specified voltage.

9. In the discharge mode, the steps include: performing handshake communication with the electric vehicle via the control pilot line and confirming the magnitude of the electric vehicle's discharge current; The method of operating a charging device according to claim 7, further comprising the step of instructing the electric vehicle to start supplying the power based on the discharge current.

10. The charging device further includes a switch connected in series with the power line, The aforementioned operation method is, When the power supply source is switched to the second operating power supply, the step of controlling the switch to conduction, The method of operating a charging device according to claim 7, further comprising the step of supplying the power to a load via the switch.

11. The steps include: detecting the power supply with the detection module and receiving the power supply parameters generated by the detection module; The method for operating a charging device according to claim 7, further comprising the step of controlling the conduction or interruption of the switch based on the power supply parameters.

12. The method for operating a charging device according to claim 7, further comprising the step of controlling the conversion circuit to be deactivated when the power supply source is switched to the second operating power source.

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