Control device

Abstract

To provide a control device that can efficiently charge a plurality of vehicles.SOLUTION: A control device 200 controls charging from a power feeding device 20 to vehicles 10. The control device 200 includes a power adjusting unit 210 that adjusts power supplied to the vehicles 10 and a timing adjusting unit 220 that adjusts timings of charging each of the vehicles 10 and the timing of operating a temperature control device 14 of each of the vehicles 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device that controls charging of a vehicle from a power supply device. [Background technology]

[0002] A vehicle that runs on the driving force of a rotating electric machine includes a storage battery for storing the electric power required for running. The storage battery is charged, for example, through a cable connected between an external power supply device and the vehicle.

[0003] The following Patent Document 1 describes a method in which a plurality of vehicles are connected to a power supply device in advance, and the vehicles are charged in order according to a predetermined priority. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-90378 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] If charging is performed when the temperature of the storage battery is too low, not only is it difficult to charge at a sufficient speed, but the storage battery may also deteriorate. The same is true if charging is performed when the temperature of the storage battery is too high, and the storage battery may also deteriorate. For this reason, if the temperature of the storage battery of a high-priority vehicle is not at an appropriate temperature, charging of that vehicle may take too long, or charging of a low-priority vehicle may not start in time.

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a control device that can efficiently charge a plurality of vehicles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The control device according to the present disclosure is a control device (200) that controls charging from a power supply device (20) to a vehicle (10). The power supply device is capable of simultaneously connecting a plurality of vehicles via a cable (30). The vehicle has a storage battery (12) that stores the supplied power, and a temperature control device (14) that adjusts the temperature of the storage battery. This control device includes a power adjustment unit (210) that adjusts the power supplied to the vehicle, and a timing adjustment unit (220) that adjusts the timing for charging each vehicle and the timing for operating the temperature control device of each vehicle.

[0008] With a control device configured in this way, it is possible to flexibly respond to situations, such as when the temperature of the storage battery of a high-priority vehicle is too low, by operating the temperature control device of the vehicle to make the vehicle ready for charging in a short time, or by starting charging of other vehicles with lower priorities before starting charging of the high-priority vehicle, etc. This makes it possible to efficiently charge each vehicle connected to the power supply device and complete charging of all vehicles in a relatively short time. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present disclosure, a control device capable of efficiently charging a plurality of vehicles is provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram that illustrates a state in which an electric vehicle and a power supply device are connected via a cable. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle according to this embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a graph for explaining an outline of the control executed by the control device for a vehicle according to the comparative example. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a graph for explaining an overview of the control executed by the control device for the vehicle according to this embodiment. [Diagram 5]FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing executed by the control device for the vehicle according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a graph showing an example of the change in the amount of stored electricity over time when the internal temperature adjustment process is performed. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing executed by the control device for the vehicle according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a control device for a power supply device according to this embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a graph showing an example of changes over time in charging power and the like in each vehicle when the control according to the first embodiment is performed. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a graph showing an example of changes over time in charging power and the like in each vehicle when control according to the second embodiment is performed. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a graph showing an example of changes over time in charging power and the like in each vehicle when the control according to the first embodiment is performed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In order to facilitate understanding of the description, the same components in each drawing are denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible, and duplicated description will be omitted.

[0012] A control device 200 according to the first embodiment is provided inside a power supply device 20, and is configured as a device for controlling charging from the power supply device 20 to each vehicle 10.

[0013] The vehicle 10 is configured as an electric vehicle equipped with a storage battery 12 and a rotating electric machine 13. The storage battery 12 is for storing the electric power required for the vehicle 10 to travel, and is, for example, a lithium ion battery. The rotating electric machine 13 is a device that generates the driving force required for the vehicle 10 to travel, and is also called a "motor generator." The rotating electric machine 13 is driven by the electric power supplied from the storage battery 12.

[0014] The vehicle 10 may be an electric vehicle that runs only by the driving force of the rotating electric machine 13, or may be a hybrid vehicle that runs by the driving force of both an internal combustion engine and the rotating electric machine 13.

[0015] The storage battery 12 stores electric power supplied from an external power supply device 20 in advance. The storage battery 12 is charged in a state where the vehicle 10 and the power supply device 20 are connected by a cable 30, as shown in Fig. 1. The cable 30 extends from the power supply device 20, and its tip is connected to a power supply port 11 provided on the vehicle 10.

[0016] The power supply device 20 is, for example, a charging facility installed outdoors. Power (system power) is supplied to the power supply device 20 from a system 22. The power supply device 20 includes a power converter 21. The power converter 21 is, for example, a combination of an inverter and a DC / DC converter, and is a device for converting system power, which is AC power, into DC power of a predetermined voltage. The DC power converted by the power converter 21 is supplied to the vehicle 10 via a cable 30 and used to charge the storage battery 12. Note that conversion from AC power to DC power may be performed on the vehicle 10 side instead of on the power supply device 20 side.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of cables 30 extend from one power supply device 20, and each cable 30 is connected to a power supply port 11 of a vehicle 10. That is, the power supply device 20 can simultaneously connect a plurality of vehicles 10 via the cables 30. Such a power supply device 20 is installed, for example, at a base (for example, a rental car office or a logistics office) when a business is conducted using a plurality of vehicles 10, and completes charging of each vehicle 10 during a time period such as nighttime. The power supply device 20 can simultaneously charge one or a plurality of vehicles 10 connected thereto. However, the number of vehicles 10 that can be charged simultaneously is less than the number of vehicles 10 that can be connected to the power supply device 20. The cable 30 may be in a form in which a portion beyond the power supply device 20 branches into a plurality of portions, and each of the branched portions is connected to each vehicle 10.

[0018] Fig. 2 shows a schematic configuration of the control device 100 and the vehicle 10 equipped with the control device. Note that the rotating electric machine 13 is omitted from Fig. 2. The control device 100 is a device for controlling charging of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 10, and is mounted on each vehicle 10.

[0019] First, the configuration of the vehicle 10 will be described. It is assumed that the configurations of the vehicles 10 shown in Fig. 1 are the same as each other. As shown in Fig. 2, each vehicle 10 includes a temperature control device 14, a power converter 15, an operation unit 16, and a communication unit 17 in addition to the storage battery 12 and rotating electric machine 13 described above.

[0020] The temperature adjustment device 14 is a device for adjusting the temperature of the storage battery 12 to an appropriate temperature. The "appropriate temperature" here means a temperature within a predetermined range suitable for charging and discharging the storage battery 12. The temperature adjustment device 14 in this embodiment is an electric heater that operates using the power stored in the storage battery 12, and is provided in a position near the storage battery 12. The temperature adjustment device 14 may be a device that heats the storage battery 12 as in this embodiment, but may also be a device that cools the storage battery 12 using power from the storage battery 12, such as a Peltier element. The temperature adjustment device 14 may also be a device that can both heat and cool the storage battery 12. The operation of the temperature adjustment device 14 is controlled by the control device 100.

[0021] The temperature adjustment device 14 may operate using the power stored in the storage battery 12 as in the present embodiment, but may also use other energy. For example, in the case where the vehicle 10 is equipped with an internal combustion engine, the temperature adjustment device 14 may be a device that uses heat generated by the internal combustion engine to heat the storage battery 12. Specifically, the temperature adjustment device 14 may be a device that circulates a fluid between the internal combustion engine and the storage battery 12, thereby adjusting the temperature of the storage battery 12. In either case, the temperature adjustment device 14 can adjust the temperature of the storage battery 12 using energy other than the power supplied from the power supply device 20.

[0022] In addition, in a state where the vehicle 10 and the power supply device 20 are connected by the cable 30, the temperature adjustment device 14 can also operate using power supplied from the power supply device 20. In addition, the temperature adjustment device 14 can also operate using both the power supplied from the storage battery 12 and the power supplied from the power supply device 20 at a predetermined ratio.

[0023] The power converter 15 is a device for converting power supplied from the power supply device 20 via the cable 30, and supplying the converted power to the storage battery 12 for charging. The operation of the power converter 15 is controlled by the control device 100, thereby adjusting the amount of power charged to the storage battery 12. The power converter 15 can also supply the converted power to the temperature adjustment device 14. A dedicated power converter for supplying power to the temperature adjustment device 14 may be provided separately from the power converter 15.

[0024] In the case where DC power is supplied from the power supply device 20 as in this embodiment, a DC / DC converter can be used as the power converter 15. In the case where AC power is supplied from the power supply device 20, an inverter can be used as the power converter 15. Note that, in the case where the power converted by the power converter 21 of the power supply device 20 can be directly supplied to the storage battery 12, the power converter 15 may not be necessary. In this case, the amount of power charged to the storage battery 12 is adjusted only by the control on the power supply device 20 side. The power supply device 20 reads information on the vehicle 10 side, specifically, information such as the allowable current and voltage of the storage battery 12, through communication, and controls the amount of power supplied to the vehicle 10 based on the information.

[0025] The operation unit 16 is a part that accepts operations performed by an occupant (e.g., a driver) of the vehicle 10. For example, a touch panel provided in the passenger compartment of the vehicle 10 can be used as the operation unit 16. The content of the operation performed on the operation unit 16 is transmitted to the control device 100. The occupant can adjust the mode of control performed by the control device 100 by operating the operation unit 16. The parameters that are set by operating the operation unit 16 will be described later.

[0026] The communication unit 17 is a device for performing wireless communication between the control device 100 and the outside. The communication unit 17 may be a mobile communication terminal owned by an occupant of the vehicle 10. The communication unit 17 acquires parameters necessary for control performed by the control device 100 by performing wireless communication with a server installed outside the vehicle 10. The parameters acquired by the communication unit 17 will be described later.

[0027] 2, the configuration of the control device 100 will be described. The control device 100 is configured as a computer system having a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and is mounted on the vehicle 10 as described above. The control device 100 may be configured as a single device as in this embodiment, but may also be configured as multiple devices that perform bidirectional communication with each other. In addition, some or all of the functions of the control device 100 described below may be realized by a device installed in a position different from the vehicle 10.

[0028] The control device 100 includes a temperature adjustment unit 110, an acquisition unit 120, and a determination unit 130 as block elements representing its functions.

[0029] The temperature adjustment unit 110 is a part that performs a process of adjusting the temperature of the storage battery 12. The temperature adjustment unit 110 adjusts the temperature of the storage battery 12 by controlling the operation of the temperature adjustment device 14 described above. At that time, the temperature adjustment unit 110 can also adjust the ratio of the power supplied from the storage battery 12 and the power supply device 20 to the temperature adjustment device 14.

[0030] Among the processes performed by the temperature adjustment unit 110, a process of adjusting the temperature of the storage battery 12 using energy other than the power supplied from the power supply device 20 (electrical energy from the storage battery 12 in this embodiment) is particularly referred to below as an “internal temperature adjustment process”. The temperature adjustment unit 110 can perform the internal temperature adjustment process in a state where no power is supplied from the power supply device 20. The temperature adjustment unit 110 can also perform a process of heating the storage battery 12 with the power supplied from the power supply device 20. Furthermore, the temperature adjustment unit 110 can also perform the internal temperature adjustment process in parallel with the process of heating the storage battery 12 with the power supplied from the power supply device 20.

[0031] The acquisition unit 120 is a part that performs processing to acquire the connection timing between the vehicle 10 and the power supply device 20. The "connection timing" refers to the timing when the vehicle 10 arrives at the location of the power supply device 20 and the vehicle 10 and the power supply device 20 are connected by the cable 30. The specific processing content that the acquisition unit 120 performs to acquire the connection timing will be described later.

[0032] The determination unit 130 is a part that performs processing to determine the start timing of the internal temperature adjustment processing. The temperature adjustment unit 110 described above starts the internal temperature adjustment processing at the start timing previously determined by the determination unit 130. The specific contents of the processing performed by the determination unit 130 to determine the start timing will be described later.

[0033] Incidentally, it is generally known that the charge / discharge performance of a storage battery such as a lithium-ion battery varies with temperature. For example, if charging is performed when the temperature of the storage battery 12 is too low, it is difficult to charge at a sufficient speed, and the storage battery 12 may deteriorate. The same is true if charging is performed when the temperature of the storage battery 12 is too high, and the storage battery 12 may also deteriorate. For this reason, when charging, it is necessary to heat the storage battery 12 in advance, for example, to make the temperature of the storage battery 12 suitable for charging.

[0034] A conventional method (comparative example) for heating the temperature of the storage battery 12 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 shows an example of the change over time of each parameter when the storage battery 12 is charged by control according to the comparative example. Fig. 3(A) shows the change over time of the system power supplied from the power supply device 20 to the vehicle 10. Fig. 3(B) shows the change over time of the temperature of the storage battery 12. Fig. 3(C) shows the change over time of the amount of stored power in the storage battery 12. The "amount of stored power" refers to the amount of power stored in the storage battery 12 or an index indicating the amount of stored power, and is also known as the "SOC."

[0035] In this comparative example, at time t1, the vehicle 10 and the power supply device 20 are connected by the cable 30. During the period until time t1, the vehicle 10 is parked near the power supply device 20 and is waiting its turn to be charged. Therefore, during this period, the temperature of the storage battery 12 decreases over time (FIG. 3(B)). Furthermore, during this period, the system power supplied to the vehicle 10 is zero, and the amount of stored power in the storage battery 12 does not change (FIG. 3(C)).

[0036] T1 shown in FIG. 3(B) is a temperature indicating the lower limit of a preset temperature range in which the storage battery 12 can fully exhibit its charge / discharge performance. At time t1 when the cable 30 is connected to the vehicle 10, the temperature of the storage battery 12 is below T1, and charging cannot be started at this time. For this reason, from time t1, a process of heating the storage battery 12 using grid power is started. That is, the temperature adjustment device 14 is operated by the grid power supplied from the cable 30, and a process of heating the storage battery 12 is started. As a result, the temperature of the storage battery 12 gradually rises after time t1 (FIG. 3(B)). Since the grid power supplied from the cable 30 is not used to charge the storage battery 12, the amount of charge stored in the storage battery 12 does not change even after time t1 (FIG. 3(C)).

[0037] At time t2, when the temperature of the storage battery 12 reaches T1, the storage battery 12 is in a state in which it can fully exert its charge / discharge performance. For this reason, charging of the storage battery 12 starts from time t2. The system power supplied to the vehicle 10 via the cable 30 increases, and all of it is supplied to the storage battery 12 for charging (FIG. 3(A)). The amount of stored electricity in the storage battery 12 increases over time (FIG. 3(C)). Charging of the storage battery 12 is performed until the amount of stored electricity in the storage battery 12 reaches a predetermined target value C1. Note that, after time t2, only a portion of the system power supplied to the vehicle 10 via the cable 30, rather than all of it, may be supplied to the storage battery 12, and the remaining system power may be used to continue to operate the temperature adjustment device 14.

[0038] Thus, in this comparative example, after the power supply device 20 and the vehicle 10 are connected by the cable 30, heating of the storage battery 12 is started using the system power supplied from the cable 30. During the period when the temperature of the storage battery 12 is not at an appropriate temperature, that is, during the period from time t1 to time t2, charging of the storage battery 12 cannot be performed even though the cable 30 is connected to the vehicle 10. For this reason, the period from time t1 when the cable 30 is connected to the vehicle 10 to time t3 when charging is completed is relatively long.

[0039] An overview of the processing executed by the control device 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. The items shown in each graph in Fig. 4 are the same as the items shown in each graph in Fig. 3.

[0040] 3, in the example of Fig. 4, at time t11, the vehicle 10 and the power supply device 20 are connected by the cable 30. In the period until time t11, the vehicle 10 is parked near the power supply device 20 and is waiting for its turn to be charged.

[0041] The control device 100 according to this embodiment performs an internal temperature adjustment process during the period until time t11 when the cable 30 is connected to the vehicle 10. As described above, the "internal temperature adjustment process" in this embodiment refers to a process in which the temperature adjustment device 14 is operated by the power stored in the storage battery 12, thereby setting the temperature of the storage battery 12 to an appropriate temperature in advance. The internal temperature adjustment process causes the temperature of the storage battery 12 to rise and exceed T1 before time t11. Therefore, when the power supply device 20 and the vehicle 10 are connected by the cable 30, charging can be started immediately from that point (time t11).

[0042] In the example of Fig. 4, the amount of stored power gradually decreases due to the internal temperature adjustment process in the period up to time t11 (Fig. 4(C)). As a result, the amount of power to be charged to the storage battery 12 is larger than in the example of Fig. 3, and the period required from the start to the end of charging is slightly longer than in the example of Fig. 3 (the period from time t2 to time t3). However, the period from when the cable 30 is connected to the vehicle 10 to when charging is completed is shorter than in the example of Fig. 3 (the period from time t1 to time t3).

[0043] In this way, the control device 100 of this embodiment performs internal temperature control processing in advance before connecting the cable 30, making it possible to shorten the time required from cable connection to charging completion compared to the conventional method.

[0044] A specific flow of processes executed by the control device 100 to realize such control will be described with reference to Fig. 5. The series of processes shown in Fig. 5 is started at a predetermined timing during a period when the cable 30 is not connected to the vehicle 10.

[0045] In a first step S01, the acquisition unit 120 performs a process of acquiring a “connection timing”, which is the timing at which the vehicle 10 and the power supply device 20 are connected via the cable 30.

[0046] For example, when vehicle 10 is traveling toward the location of power supply device 20, acquisition unit 120 acquires the connection timing by predicting the arrival time based on the distance from the current location of vehicle 10 to power supply device 20 and the traveling speed of vehicle 10. In addition, the number of vehicles waiting to be charged at power supply device 20 may be acquired through communication, and the time obtained by adding the waiting time after arrival to the predicted arrival time may be acquired as the connection timing.

[0047] In this way, the acquisition unit 120 acquires the connection timing by making a prediction based on information obtained from the outside. The "information obtained from the outside" is the current location of the vehicle 10, the number of vehicles waiting to be charged at the power supply device 20, etc., but may be other information.

[0048] Instead of this embodiment, for example, the occupant may operate the operation unit 16 to directly input the time that will be the connection timing. In this case, the acquisition unit 120 acquires the input time as the connection timing as is. The acquisition unit 120 may also acquire the time input from an external server as the connection timing as is. An "external server" is, for example, a server that externally manages the automatic driving of the vehicle 10. In this way, the acquisition unit 120 may acquire the connection timing from an input from the occupant or an external source (rather than making a prediction).

[0049] In step S02 following step S01, the determination unit 130 performs a process of determining the "start timing" of the internal temperature adjustment process.

[0050] The determination unit 130 calculates the time required for the internal temperature adjustment process based on the current temperature of the storage battery 12, the outside air temperature, the performance of the temperature adjustment device 14, etc. Then, the determination unit 130 determines the time preceding the connection timing by that amount as the start timing. The "time required for the internal temperature adjustment process" is the time required for the temperature of the storage battery 12 to reach a predetermined target temperature (for example, T1 in FIG. 4(B)).

[0051] The current temperature of the storage battery 12 can be acquired, for example, by a temperature sensor (not shown) provided in the storage battery 12. The "performance of the temperature adjustment device 14" is an index indicating how much the temperature adjustment device 14 can change the temperature of the storage battery 12 per unit time, and is a parameter calculated in advance.

[0052] In this way, the determination unit 130 determines the start timing as a timing that is a predetermined time before the connection timing. As described above, the "predetermined time" refers to the time required for the internal temperature adjustment process and is calculated each time, but it may also be a time of a fixed length that is set in advance.

[0053] Instead of such an embodiment, for example, the occupant may operate the operation unit 16 to directly input the time that is to be the start timing. In this case, the determination unit 130 determines the input time as the start timing as is. The determination unit 130 may also determine the time input from an external server as the start timing as is. An "external server" is, for example, a server that externally manages the autonomous driving of the vehicle 10. In this way, the determination unit 130 may determine the start timing based on an input from the occupant or an external source, without considering the connection timing.

[0054] In step S03 following step S02, it is determined whether the current time is the start timing. If the current time is still before the start timing, the process of step S03 is executed again. If the current time is the start timing or a time after the start timing, the process proceeds to step S04.

[0055] In step S04, it is determined whether the temperature of the storage battery 12 is appropriate. If the temperature of the storage battery 12 is within a predetermined temperature range suitable for charging, the internal temperature adjustment process is not performed and the process shown in Fig. 5 ends. If the temperature of the storage battery 12 is below the lower limit of the above temperature range or above the upper limit of the above temperature range, the process proceeds to step S05.

[0056] In this way, the temperature adjustment unit 110 is configured to perform the internal temperature adjustment process when the temperature of the storage battery 12 is outside a predetermined temperature range suitable for charging. This makes it possible to prevent a situation in which an unnecessary internal temperature adjustment process is executed.

[0057] In step S05, it is determined whether the amount of stored power in the storage battery 12 is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount. The "predetermined amount" is a lower limit value that is preset as the amount of power required for the internal temperature adjustment process. The amount of power required for the internal temperature adjustment process plus a certain margin may be set as the above-mentioned predetermined amount. The "amount of power required for the internal temperature adjustment process" used in calculating the above-mentioned predetermined amount may be a value that is calculated each time based on the temperature of the storage battery 12 or the like, or may be a fixed value. If the amount of stored power does not reach the predetermined amount, the process shown in FIG. 5 is terminated without performing the internal temperature adjustment process. If the amount of stored power is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount, the process proceeds to step S06.

[0058] In this way, the temperature adjustment unit 110 is configured to perform the internal temperature adjustment process when the amount of power stored in the storage battery 12 is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount. This makes it possible to prevent a situation in which the amount of power stored in the storage battery 12 decreases too much due to the execution of the internal temperature adjustment process, making it impossible for the vehicle 10 to run.

[0059] In step S06, it is determined whether or not the time required from when the cable 30 is connected to the vehicle 10 until charging is completed will be shortened by performing the internal temperature adjustment process. In other words, it is determined whether or not it is meaningful to perform the internal temperature adjustment process. This determination is made by the temperature adjustment unit 110.

[0060] The temperature adjusting unit 110 makes the above determination based on the following formula (1). (Target power storage amount - (current power storage amount - power required for internal temperature control)) / charging power < (target power storage amount - current power storage amount) / charging power + temperature control time based on grid power (1)

[0061] The "target amount of stored power" in formula (1) is a target value for the amount of stored power in the storage battery 12, for example, C1 in FIG. 3(C). The "amount of power required for internal temperature control processing" is a predicted value of the amount of power required for internal temperature control processing. The "charging power" is the maximum amount of power that can be supplied to the storage battery 12, that is, the maximum amount of power that can be charged per unit time. The "charging power" is determined by the state of the storage battery 12, the performance of the power converter 15 on the vehicle 10 side, the performance of the power converter 21 on the power supply device 20 side, the specifications of the cable 30, and the like. The "temperature control time by system power" is the time required for the temperature of the storage battery 12 to reach the target temperature when the temperature control device 14 is operated by the system power supplied from the cable 30 and the storage battery 12 is heated, as in the comparative example described with reference to FIG. 3.

[0062] The left side of formula (1) represents the time required from cable connection to charging completion when internal temperature adjustment processing is performed. The right side of formula (1) represents the time required from cable connection to charging completion when internal temperature adjustment processing is not performed. If the inequality of formula (1) holds, that is, if the time required when internal temperature adjustment processing is performed is shorter, proceed to step S07 in FIG. 5. In other cases, the processing shown in FIG. 5 is terminated without performing internal temperature adjustment processing. In step S07, internal temperature adjustment processing is started as described with reference to FIG. 4.

[0063] Line L1 in Fig. 6(A) represents an example of the change over time in the amount of stored power when the internal temperature adjustment process is performed. Line L2 in the same figure represents an example of the change over time in the amount of stored power when the internal temperature adjustment process is not performed. Time t21 is the time when the cable 30 is connected to the vehicle 10. Time t22 is the time when heating of the storage battery 12 by the grid power is completed when the internal temperature adjustment process is not performed as in line L2.

[0064] As shown by the line L1 in FIG. 6A, when the internal temperature adjustment process is performed, the amount of charge stored in the storage battery 12 decreases from the initial C11 to C10 due to the internal temperature adjustment process, and then increases from time t21 as charging starts. On the other hand, as shown by the line L2 in FIG. 6A, when the internal temperature adjustment process is not performed, the amount of charge stored in the storage battery 12 is maintained at the initial amount of charge C11 until time t22. Then, the amount of charge increases from time t22 as charging starts. As is clear from a comparison between the lines L1 and L2 after time t22, in the example of FIG. 6A, the amount of charge stored in the case where the internal temperature adjustment process is performed (line L1) is greater. Therefore, when the internal temperature adjustment process is performed, the time until charging is completed can be shortened compared to when the internal temperature adjustment process is not performed. This is because the charging power in formula (1) is relatively large, and the slope of the graph after charging starts is large. FIG. 6A shows an example of a case where the determination in step S06 of FIG. 5 is "Yes."

[0065] FIG. 6(B) shows an example in which the charging power in formula (1) is relatively small and the slope of the graph after the start of charging is small, in a manner similar to that of FIG. 6(A). In the example of FIG. 6(B), since the slope of the graph after the start of charging is small, the amount of stored power is greater when the internal temperature adjustment process is not performed (line L2) after time t22. Therefore, when the internal temperature adjustment process is performed, the time until charging is completed is longer than when the internal temperature adjustment process is not performed. FIG. 6(B) shows an example in which the determination in step S06 of FIG. 5 is "No."

[0066] In this way, the temperature adjustment unit 110 is configured to determine whether or not to execute the internal temperature adjustment process based on both the predicted value of the amount of power required for the internal temperature adjustment process and the predicted value of the power that can be supplied from the power supply device 20 to the storage battery 12 (the above-mentioned "charging power"). This makes it possible to prevent a situation in which the time until charging is completed becomes longer due to the execution of the internal temperature adjustment process.

[0067] When the internal temperature adjustment process is started in step S07 of Fig. 5, the control device 100 executes the process shown in Fig. 7 in parallel with the internal temperature adjustment process. The series of processes shown in Fig. 7 are repeatedly executed every time a predetermined period elapses while the internal temperature adjustment process is being executed.

[0068] In the first step S11, it is determined whether the amount of stored electricity in the storage battery 12 is equal to or greater than a predetermined lower limit. The "lower limit" is a preset value that is a minimum amount of stored electricity that should be ensured so that the vehicle 10 does not become unable to run. If the amount of stored electricity is below the lower limit, the process proceeds to step S14, which will be described later. Otherwise, the process proceeds to step S12.

[0069] In step S12, it is determined whether the rate of temperature change of the storage battery 12 is equal to or greater than a predetermined rate. The "predetermined rate" is a rate that is preset as a lower limit of temperature change that may occur in the storage battery 12 when the internal temperature adjustment process is normally performed. If the rate of temperature change of the storage battery 12 is less than the predetermined rate, the process proceeds to step S14. Otherwise, the process proceeds to step S13.

[0070] In step S13, it is determined whether the time elapsed from the start of the internal temperature adjustment process to the present time is within a predetermined upper limit time. The "upper limit time" is a preset maximum length of time required for the internal temperature adjustment process. If the elapsed time exceeds the upper limit time, the process proceeds to step S14. In other cases, the process shown in FIG. 7 is temporarily terminated, and the internal temperature adjustment process continues.

[0071] When the amount of stored power falls below the lower limit in step S11, when the rate of temperature change of the storage battery 12 is less than a predetermined rate in step S12, or when the elapsed time exceeds the upper limit time in step S13, the process proceeds to step S14. In step S14, a process of interrupting the internal temperature adjustment process is performed. This makes it possible to prevent the internal temperature adjustment process from being continued in a situation where the amount of stored power is insufficient or in a situation where some malfunction occurs in the storage battery 12, the temperature adjustment device 14, or the like.

[0072] 7 are all performed by the temperature adjustment unit 110. In this manner, the temperature adjustment unit 110 performs the process of determining whether or not to continue the internal temperature adjustment process while performing the internal temperature adjustment process.

[0073] As described above, the temperature adjustment unit 110 according to this embodiment is configured to be able to start the internal temperature adjustment process before the vehicle 10 and the power supply device 20 are connected to each other via the cable 30.

[0074] The temperature adjustment of the storage battery 12 by the temperature adjustment device 14 may be performed after the vehicle 10 and the power supply device 20 are connected to each other via the cable 30. In this case, in the vehicle 10 connected to the cable 30, the temperature adjustment device 14 may be operated without using the power supplied from the cable 30, or the temperature adjustment device 14 may be operated using the power supplied from the cable 30. In addition, the temperature adjustment device 14 may be operated using both the power supplied from the cable 30 and the amount of energy supplied from the storage battery 12.

[0075] In a state where a plurality of vehicles 10 are connected to the power supply device 20, the operation of the temperature adjustment device 14 in each vehicle 10 (i.e., temperature adjustment of the storage battery 12) and charging of the storage battery 12 may both be controlled by the control device 200 of the power supply device 20. In this case, the control device 100 of each vehicle 10 performs processing such as adjusting the temperature of the storage battery 12 based on a control signal transmitted from the control device 200. In other words, unlike the example described above, the timing at which each vehicle 10 starts adjusting the temperature of the storage battery 12 and the timing at which charging starts are determined not by the control device 100 but by the control device 200.

[0076] The configuration of the control device 200 for realizing such processing will be described with reference to Fig. 8. The control device 200 is configured as a computer system having a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and is provided inside the power supply device 20 as described above. The control device 200 may be configured as a single device as in this embodiment, but may also be configured as multiple devices that perform bidirectional communication with each other. In addition, some or all of the functions of the control device 200 described below may be realized by a device installed at a position different from that of the power supply device 20.

[0077] The control device 200 includes a power adjustment section 210 and a timing adjustment section 220 as block elements representing its functions.

[0078] The power adjustment unit 210 is a part that performs a process of adjusting the power supplied to each vehicle 10 connected to the power supply device 20. "Power supplied to each vehicle 10" includes both the power used for charging the vehicle 10 and the power used for operating the temperature control device 14 of the vehicle 10. For example, the power adjustment unit 210 controls the operation of the power converter 21 to individually adjust the power output from each cable 30 to the vehicle 10. Instead of or in addition to this embodiment, the power adjustment unit 210 may individually adjust the power supplied to each vehicle 10 by controlling the operation of the power converter 15 of each vehicle 10 via communication with the control device 100.

[0079] The communication between the control device 200 and the control device 100 may be wired communication via a cable 30 or wireless communication.

[0080] The timing adjustment unit 220 is a part that performs processing to adjust the timing of charging and the timing of operating the temperature adjustment device 14 for each vehicle 10 connected to the power supply device 20. The timing adjustment unit 220 adjusts the charging start timing and the operation timing of the temperature adjustment device 14 of each vehicle 10 individually by sending a control signal to the control device 100 of each vehicle 10.

[0081] In this embodiment, the voltage supplied from the power supply device 20 to the storage battery 12 of each vehicle 10 can be adjusted individually for each vehicle 10. Such adjustment is performed by a power converter 15 provided in each vehicle 10. Alternatively, a power converter 21 may be provided individually corresponding to each cable 30, and the above adjustment may be performed by each power converter 21. In this case, the power converter 15 may not be provided in each vehicle 10.

[0082] The control device 200 sets a charging priority for each of the connected vehicles 10. The timing adjustment unit 220 of the control device 200 starts charging the vehicles 10 in order of priority. The priority is set based on, for example, the reservation status of the vehicles 10. For example, the shorter the time until the scheduled time of use of the vehicle 10, the higher the priority of the vehicle 10 may be set. In addition, the priority may be set higher for a vehicle 10 with a lower amount of stored power in the storage battery 12, or conversely, the priority may be set higher for a vehicle 10 with a higher amount of stored power in the storage battery 12. In addition, a user who wants to use the vehicle 10 may manually input a desired priority when making a reservation, or a service provider may manually input a priority.

[0083] A specific example of the charging control according to the priority level performed by the control device 200 will be described with reference to Fig. 9. The top row of Fig. 9 shows an example of the change over time of the power output from the power supply device 20. Below that, examples of the change over time of the charging power supplied to the storage battery 12 (upper row) and examples of the change over time of the temperature of the storage battery 12 (lower row) are shown for each of three vehicles 10 with different priorities.

[0084] In addition, "vehicle 1" in FIG. 9 is a vehicle 10 whose priority is set to "high". "Vehicle 2" is a vehicle 10 whose priority is set to "medium". "Vehicle 3" is a vehicle 10 whose priority is set to "low". Each vehicle 10 will be referred to below as "vehicle 1", "vehicle 2", "vehicle 3", etc.

[0085] For each vehicle 10, "T1" shown in the graph of the temperature change of the storage battery 12 is the same temperature as T1 in FIG. 4 and the like, and is the temperature indicating the lower limit of a preset temperature range in which the storage battery 12 can fully exhibit its charge / discharge performance. "T0" shown in the graph of the temperature change of the storage battery 12 is a temperature lower than T1, and is the temperature indicating the lower limit of a temperature range in which the storage battery 12 can be charged. When the temperature of the storage battery 12 is below T0, the storage battery 12 cannot be charged. When the temperature of the storage battery 12 is within the range from T0 to T1, the storage battery 12 can be charged while limiting the amount of power supplied to the storage battery 12. When the temperature of the storage battery 12 is equal to or higher than T1, the storage battery 12 can be charged without any power restrictions.

[0086] In the example of FIG. 9, the control device 200 first attempts to charge the vehicle 1, which has the highest priority. However, since the initial temperature of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1 is lower than T0, charging cannot start immediately. For this reason, the timing adjustment unit 220 of the control device 200 operates the temperature adjustment device 14 by transmitting a control signal to the control device 100 of the vehicle 1, and starts heating the storage battery 12 in the vehicle 1. In the vehicle 1, the temperature of the storage battery 12 gradually rises. The temperature of the storage battery 12 reaches T0 at time t31, and then reaches T1 at time t32.

[0087] In this example, the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1 is heated using system power supplied from the power supply device 20. The storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1 may also be heated using power stored in the storage battery 12. That is, the storage battery 12 may be heated by an internal temperature adjustment process.

[0088] In the period up to time t31, vehicle 1 cannot charge the storage battery 12. During this period, the timing adjustment unit 220 of the control device 200 searches for a vehicle 10 whose storage battery 12 has a temperature of T1 or higher, from among other vehicles 10 having a lower priority than vehicle 1. In the example of Fig. 9, the temperature of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 3 has been T1 or higher from the beginning.

[0089] In this case, the control device 200 starts charging the vehicle 3 first until charging of the vehicle 1 becomes possible. Specifically, the power adjustment unit 210 of the control device 200 starts supplying power to the vehicle 3.

[0090] In this way, when the temperature of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1 (first vehicle) with a high priority is outside a predetermined temperature range suitable for charging, the timing adjustment unit 220 operates the temperature adjustment device 14 of the vehicle 1, and the power adjustment unit 210 starts supplying power to the vehicle 3 (second vehicle) with a low priority. The timing adjustment unit 220 also starts charging the vehicle 3 while the temperature adjustment device 14 of the vehicle 1 is operating. In this case, the vehicle 3 is one that has been searched for as a vehicle 10 with a temperature of the storage battery 12 within the above temperature range, among a plurality of vehicles 10 with a lower priority than the vehicle 1. When there are a plurality of such vehicles 10, the vehicle 10 with the highest temperature of the storage battery 12 may be selected as the vehicle to be charged, or the vehicle 10 with the highest priority among the vehicles 10 may be selected as the vehicle to be charged.

[0091] After time t31, the temperature of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 1 exceeds T0, so that charging of the storage battery 12 in vehicle 1 can be limited. The control device 200 starts charging in vehicle 1. In vehicle 1, the power supplied to the storage battery 12 is gradually increased as the temperature of the storage battery 12 rises. In accordance with this, the power supplied to the storage battery 12 in vehicle 3 is gradually decreased. The power adjustment unit 210 of the control device 200 transmits a control signal to the control device 100 of each vehicle 10 to adjust the charging power so that the sum of the power supplied to the storage battery 12 of vehicle 1 and the power supplied to the storage battery 12 of vehicle 3 does not exceed the output upper limit of the power supply device 20.

[0092] At time t32, after the temperature of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 1 reaches T1, charging is performed normally in vehicle 1 (i.e., there is no limit on the charging power). Also, charging in vehicle 3 is interrupted at time t32. The temperature of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 3 gradually rises due to Joule heat in the period until time t32, and becomes approximately constant after time t32.

[0093] 9, charging of the vehicle 1 is completed at time t35. During the period from time t34 to time t35, as the amount of stored power in the vehicle 1 approaches the target value, the power supplied to the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1 is gradually reduced.

[0094] Charging of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 2 is performed following charging of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1. In the example of FIG. 9, the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 2 has an initial temperature lower than T0, similar to the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1. For this reason, the timing adjustment unit 220 of the control device 200 causes the control device 100 of the vehicle 2 to perform a process of heating the storage battery 12 and keeping it at an appropriate temperature before charging the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 2. In this example, the heating is performed using system power supplied from the power supply device 20 to the vehicle 2. The heating of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 2 may be performed using power stored in the storage battery 12. In other words, the heating of the storage battery 12 may be performed by an internal temperature adjustment process.

[0095] Heating of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 2 is started at time t33, which is after time t32 and before time t34. Time t33 is a time within a period in which charging is being performed in the vehicle 1. The charging power of the vehicle 1 from time t33 onwards is smaller than before by the amount of heating power supplied to the vehicle 2. The temperature of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 2 gradually increases from time t33 onwards as the storage battery 12 is heated. The temperature reaches T0 before time t34 and reaches T1 at time t35. Time t33, at which heating of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 2 is started, is set as a timing that allows the temperature of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 2 to reach T1 by time t35, at which charging of the vehicle 1 is completed.

[0096] In this way, the power adjustment unit 210 of the control device 200 also supplies power to the vehicle 2 (second vehicle) with a lower priority when the vehicle 1 with a higher priority (first vehicle) is being charged. The timing adjustment unit 220 operates the temperature adjustment device 14 of the vehicle 2 when the vehicle 1 is being charged. At the timing (time t33) when the temperature adjustment device 14 of the vehicle 2 is operated, the power adjustment unit 210 reduces the power supplied to the vehicle 1. This reduced amount of power corresponds to the power supplied to the vehicle 2.

[0097] During the period from time t34 when the charging power in vehicle 1 starts to decrease to time t35, the temperature of storage battery 12 in vehicle 2 is lower than T1. For this reason, in vehicle 1, charging of storage battery 12 is limited during this period.

[0098] In vehicle 2, the power supplied to storage battery 12 is gradually increased as the temperature of storage battery 12 rises. The power adjustment unit 210 of the control device 200 transmits a control signal to the control device 100 of each vehicle 10 to adjust the charging power so that the sum of the power supplied to storage battery 12 of vehicle 1 and the power supplied to storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 does not exceed the output upper limit of the power supply device 20.

[0099] At time t35, after the temperature of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 2 reaches T1, charging is performed in the vehicle 2 as usual (that is, without any restrictions on charging power).

[0100] 9, charging of the vehicle 2 is completed at time t39. During the period from time t37 to time t39, the amount of power supplied to the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 2 is gradually reduced as the amount of power stored in the vehicle 2 approaches the target value.

[0101] Charging of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 3 is resumed following charging of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 2. As described above, in the example of Fig. 9, the temperature of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 3 is already at an appropriate temperature from the beginning, so there is no need to perform a process of preheating the storage battery 12.

[0102] After time t37, vehicle 3 gradually increases the power supplied to storage battery 12. The power adjustment unit 210 of the control device 200 transmits a control signal to the control device 100 of each vehicle 10 to adjust the charging power so that the sum of the power supplied to storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 and the power supplied to storage battery 12 of vehicle 3 does not exceed the output upper limit of the power supply device 20.

[0103] After charging in vehicle 2 is completed at time t39, charging in vehicle 3 is performed normally (i.e., without any restrictions on charging power). In the example of Fig. 9, charging in vehicle 3 ends at time t40. Note that, similar to vehicles 1 and 2, in vehicle 3, as the amount of stored power in storage battery 12 approaches a target value, the power supplied to storage battery 12 of vehicle 3 is gradually reduced. The temperature of storage battery 12 of vehicle 3 gradually rises due to Joule heat during the period from time t37 to time t40.

[0104] The control according to the time chart shown in FIG. 9 can be started at any timing. For example, after a plurality of vehicles 10 are connected by the cable 30, the control may be started by manual operation of an operator, or may be started automatically at a predetermined time. For example, in a case where the charge fee is changed for each time period, the control may be started at the time when the charge changes. In addition, when a new vehicle 10 is additionally connected during the execution of the control, the priority may be reset at the time of connection, and the same control as above may be executed again according to the new priority. The same applies to other embodiments described later.

[0105] The dashed-dotted lines in each graph in Fig. 9 represent the change over time of each parameter when control according to a comparative example is executed. In this comparative example, charging of each vehicle 10 is performed in strict accordance with a preset priority.

[0106] Specifically, heating of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 in this comparative example starts at time t35 when charging of vehicle 1 is completed. Therefore, charging of vehicle 2 starts at time t36, which is later than time t35, and is completed at the following time t41. Time t36 is the time when the temperature of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 reaches T0. The temperature of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 reaches T1 at the following time t38. Note that in the period immediately prior to time t41, as the amount of stored power in vehicle 2 approaches the target value, the power supplied to the storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 is gradually reduced.

[0107] In this comparative example, charging of vehicle 3, which has the lowest priority, starts at time t41 when charging of vehicle 2 is completed. Charging of vehicle 3 is completed at time t42, which is after time t41. In the period immediately before time t42, the amount of power supplied to the storage battery 12 of vehicle 3 is gradually reduced as the amount of power stored in vehicle 3 approaches the target value.

[0108] In this comparative example, the heating of the storage battery 12 as required and the subsequent charging of the storage battery 12 are performed in sequence in each vehicle 10 in accordance with a preset priority. Therefore, the time t42 at which charging of all vehicles 10 is completed is later than the time t40 at which charging is completed in this embodiment.

[0109] In other words, while the control device 200 of this embodiment has the principle of charging according to priority, it is possible to efficiently charge each vehicle 10 and shorten the time required to complete charging compared to the comparative example by, for example, heating the storage battery 12 in advance in a vehicle 10 with a low priority.

[0110] In this embodiment, for example, during the period from time t31 to time t32, both vehicle 1 and vehicle 3 are charged simultaneously. Such simultaneous charging is possible because the voltage supplied from power supply device 20 to storage battery 12 of each vehicle 10 can be adjusted individually for each vehicle 10. If vehicle 10 is not provided with power converter 15 and power supply device 20 is provided with only one power converter 21, multiple vehicles 10 cannot be charged simultaneously.

[0111] The second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 10. As described above, the second embodiment is configured such that multiple vehicles 10 cannot be charged simultaneously. Fig. 10 shows an example of time changes of each parameter when the control according to this embodiment is performed, in a manner similar to that of Fig. 9.

[0112] In this embodiment, the control device 200 also tries to charge the vehicle 1, which has the highest priority, first. However, since the initial temperature of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1 is lower than T0, charging cannot start immediately. For this reason, the timing adjustment unit 220 of the control device 200 transmits a control signal to the control device 100 of the vehicle 1 to start heating the storage battery 12 in the vehicle 1. In the vehicle 1, the temperature of the storage battery 12 gradually rises. The temperature of the storage battery 12 reaches T0 at time t51, and then reaches T1 at time t52.

[0113] In this example, the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1 is heated using system power supplied from the power supply device 20. The storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1 may also be heated using power stored in the storage battery 12. That is, the storage battery 12 may be heated by an internal temperature adjustment process.

[0114] In the period up to time t51, charging of the storage battery 12 in vehicle 1 is not possible. During this period, the timing adjustment unit 220 of the control device 200 searches for a vehicle 10 whose storage battery 12 has a temperature of T1 or higher from among other vehicles 10 having a lower priority than vehicle 1. As in the example of FIG. 9, in this example, the temperature of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 3 is T1 or higher from the beginning. The control device 200 starts charging vehicle 3 first until charging of vehicle 1 becomes possible. Specifically, the power adjustment unit 210 of the control device 200 starts supplying power to vehicle 3.

[0115] In this example, until charging of vehicle 1 becomes possible, vehicle 3 is charged and control device 200 also performs processing to heat storage battery 12 of vehicle 2. Heating of storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 is also performed using system power supplied from power supply device 20, but may also be performed using power stored in storage battery 12. In other words, heating of storage battery 12 may be performed by internal temperature adjustment processing.

[0116] In the period until time t51, power supply device 20 supplies vehicle 2 with power for heating storage battery 12, and also supplies charging power to vehicle 3. The magnitude of the charging power supplied to vehicle 3 in this period is a value obtained by subtracting the power supplied to vehicle 2 from the maximum power that can be output.

[0117] After time t51, the temperature of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1 exceeds T0, so that charging of the storage battery 12 in the vehicle 1 can be performed while being restricted. The timing adjustment unit 220 of the control device 200 stops charging in the vehicle 3 and starts charging in the vehicle 1. In the vehicle 1, as the temperature of the storage battery 12 rises, the power supplied to the storage battery 12 is gradually increased. The temperature of the storage battery 12 in the vehicle 3 gradually rises due to Joule heat in the period until time t51, and becomes approximately constant after time t51.

[0118] At time t52, after the temperature of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 1 reaches T1, charging is performed normally in vehicle 1 (i.e., there is no restriction on charging power). The supply of power for heating the storage battery 12 to vehicle 2 is temporarily interrupted at time t52. The temperature of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 gradually rises in the period up to time t52, and becomes approximately constant after time t52.

[0119] In this embodiment, charging in vehicle 1 is completed at time t54. During the period from time t53 to time t54, as the amount of power stored in vehicle 1 approaches the target value, the power supplied to storage battery 12 of vehicle 1 is gradually reduced. After time t53, the supply of power for heating storage battery 12 to vehicle 2 is resumed. Therefore, the temperature of storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 starts to rise again. At time t54 when charging in vehicle 1 is completed, the temperature of storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 is T1 or higher.

[0120] In this embodiment as well, charging of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 is performed following charging of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 1. As described above, the temperature of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 has risen to a temperature suitable for charging by time t54 when charging of vehicle 1 is completed. Therefore, at time t54, charging of vehicle 2 starts normally (i.e., without any restrictions on charging power).

[0121] In this embodiment, charging of the vehicle 2 is completed at time t57. In the period immediately prior to time t57, as the amount of stored power in the vehicle 2 approaches the target value, the power supplied to the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 2 is gradually reduced.

[0122] Charging of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 3 is resumed following charging of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 2. As described above, since the temperature of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 3 is already at an appropriate temperature from the beginning, a process of preheating the storage battery 12 is not required.

[0123] In vehicle 3, charging is performed normally (i.e., without any restrictions on charging power) from time t57. In this embodiment, charging in vehicle 3 ends at time t58. Similar to vehicles 1 and 2, in vehicle 3, as the amount of stored power in storage battery 12 approaches a target value, the power supplied to storage battery 12 of vehicle 3 is gradually reduced. The temperature of storage battery 12 of vehicle 3 gradually rises due to Joule heat during the period from time t57 to time t58.

[0124] 10, the time variations of each parameter when the control according to the comparative example is executed are indicated by dashed dotted lines. In the comparative example, charging of each vehicle 10 is performed in accordance with the preset priority.

[0125] Specifically, heating of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 in this comparative example starts at time t54 when charging of vehicle 1 is completed. Therefore, charging of vehicle 2 starts at time t55, which is later than time t54, and is completed at the subsequent time t59. Time t55 is the time when the temperature of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 reaches T0. The temperature of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 reaches T1 at the subsequent time t56. Note that in the period immediately prior to time t59, as the amount of stored power in vehicle 2 approaches the target value, the power supplied to the storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 is gradually reduced.

[0126] In this comparative example, charging of vehicle 3, which has the lowest priority, starts at time t59 when charging of vehicle 2 is completed. Charging of vehicle 3 is completed at time t60, which is after time t59. In the period immediately prior to time t60, the amount of power supplied to the storage battery 12 of vehicle 3 is gradually reduced as the amount of power stored in vehicle 3 approaches the target value.

[0127] In this comparative example, the heating of the storage battery 12 as required and the subsequent charging of the storage battery 12 are performed in sequence in each vehicle 10 in accordance with a preset priority. Therefore, the time t60 at which charging of all vehicles 10 is completed is later than the time t58 at which charging is completed in this embodiment.

[0128] In contrast, the control device 200 according to the present embodiment, while charging is performed according to priority as a rule, can efficiently charge each vehicle 10 by heating the storage battery 12 in the vehicle 10 with a low priority in advance, and can shorten the time required to complete charging compared to the comparative example. Until the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1 with the highest priority reaches an appropriate temperature, the control device 200 simultaneously heats the storage battery 12 in the vehicle 2 with a low priority and charges the vehicle 3 with an even lower priority. At this time, the power supplied to the vehicle 2 and the vehicle 3 can be said to be surplus power during the period when the vehicle 1 with the highest priority is waiting to be charged (to t51) or is charging (t51 to t52). In this way, the surplus power not used for charging the vehicle 10 with a high priority is used in the vehicle 10 with a low priority, making it possible to complete charging of all the vehicles 10 in a short time.

[0129] The third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 11. In the third embodiment, similar to the second embodiment (Fig. 10), a configuration is adopted in which multiple vehicles 10 cannot be charged simultaneously. Fig. 11 shows an example of time changes of each parameter when the control according to this embodiment is performed, in a manner similar to Figs. 9 and 10.

[0130] In this embodiment, the control device 200 also tries to charge the vehicle 1, which has the highest priority, first. However, since the initial temperature of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1 is lower than T0, charging cannot start immediately. For this reason, the timing adjustment unit 220 of the control device 200 transmits a control signal to the control device 100 of the vehicle 1 to start heating the storage battery 12 in the vehicle 1. In the vehicle 1, the temperature of the storage battery 12 gradually rises. The temperature of the storage battery 12 reaches T0 at time t71, and then reaches T1 at time t72.

[0131] In this example, the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1 is heated using system power supplied from the power supply device 20. The storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1 may also be heated using power stored in the storage battery 12. That is, the storage battery 12 may be heated by an internal temperature adjustment process.

[0132] In this embodiment, charging of the vehicle 1 is not performed until the temperature of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1 reaches T1. Charging of the vehicle 1 starts from time t72. In the period until time t72, the timing adjustment unit 220 of the control device 200 searches for a vehicle 10 whose storage battery 12 has a temperature of T1 or higher from among other vehicles 10 having a lower priority than the vehicle 1. As in the examples of FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, in this example, the temperature of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 3 is T1 or higher from the beginning. The control device 200 starts charging the vehicle 3 first until the temperature of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1 reaches T1 or higher. Specifically, the power adjustment unit 210 of the control device 200 starts supplying power to the vehicle 3.

[0133] At time t72, after the temperature of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 1 reaches T1, charging of vehicle 1 starts normally (i.e., without any restrictions on charging power). The supply of charging power to vehicle 3 is temporarily interrupted at time t72. The temperature of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 3 gradually rises due to Joule heat in the period until time t72, and becomes approximately constant after time t72.

[0134] In this embodiment, charging of the vehicle 1 is completed at time t76. In the period immediately prior to time t76, as the amount of stored power in the vehicle 1 approaches the target value, the power supplied to the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1 is gradually reduced.

[0135] Charging of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 2 is performed following charging of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1. In this embodiment, the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 2 has an initial temperature lower than T0, similar to the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1. For this reason, the timing adjustment unit 220 of the control device 200 causes the control device 100 of the vehicle 2 to perform a process of heating the storage battery 12 and keeping it at an appropriate temperature before charging the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 2. In this example, the heating is performed using system power supplied from the power supply device 20 to the vehicle 2. The heating of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 2 may be performed using power stored in the storage battery 12. In other words, the heating of the storage battery 12 may be performed by an internal temperature adjustment process.

[0136] Heating of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 is started at time t73, which is after time t72 and before time t76. Time t73 is a time within a period in which charging is being performed in vehicle 1. The charging power of vehicle 1 from time t73 onwards is reduced by the amount of heating power supplied to vehicle 2. The temperature of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 gradually increases from time t73 onwards as it is heated. The temperature reaches T1 at time t76. Time t73, at which heating of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 is started, is set as a timing that allows the temperature of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 to reach T1 by time t76, at which charging of vehicle 1 is completed.

[0137] At time t76, charging of vehicle 2 starts normally (i.e., without any restrictions on charging power). In the example of Fig. 11, charging of vehicle 2 ends at time t79. In the period immediately prior to time t79, as the amount of stored power in vehicle 2 approaches the target value, the power supplied to storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 is gradually reduced.

[0138] Charging of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 3 is resumed following charging of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 2. As described above, since the temperature of the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 3 is already at an appropriate temperature from the beginning, a process of preheating the storage battery 12 is not required.

[0139] In vehicle 3, charging resumes normally (i.e., without any restrictions on charging power) from time t79. In the example of FIG. 11, charging in vehicle 3 ends at time t80. Note that, similar to vehicles 1 and 2, in vehicle 3, as the amount of stored power in storage battery 12 approaches a target value, the power supplied to storage battery 12 of vehicle 3 is gradually reduced. The temperature of storage battery 12 of vehicle 3 gradually rises due to Joule heat during the period from time t79 to time t80.

[0140] As in this embodiment, charging of vehicle 3 may be given top priority during the period (up to t72) until charging of vehicle 1, which has the highest priority, becomes possible.

[0141] 11, the time variations of each parameter when the control according to the comparative example is executed are indicated by dashed dotted lines. In the comparative example, charging of each vehicle 10 is performed in strict accordance with the preset priority.

[0142] Specifically, charging of vehicle 1 in this comparative example starts at time t71 when the temperature of storage battery 12 of vehicle 1 reaches T0. Vehicle 1 gradually increases the power supplied to storage battery 12 as the temperature of storage battery 12 rises. After the temperature of storage battery 12 of vehicle 1 reaches T1 at time t72, vehicle 1 performs charging as usual (i.e., without any restrictions on charging power).

[0143] In this comparative example, heating of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 starts at time t75 when charging of vehicle 1 is completed. Therefore, charging of vehicle 2 starts at time t77, which is later than time t75, and is completed at the following time t81. Time t77 is the time when the temperature of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 reaches T0. The temperature of the storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 reaches T1 at the following time t78. Note that in the period immediately prior to time t81, as the amount of stored power in vehicle 2 approaches the target value, the power supplied to the storage battery 12 of vehicle 2 is gradually reduced.

[0144] In this comparative example, charging of vehicle 3, which has the lowest priority, starts at time t81 when charging of vehicle 2 is completed. Charging of vehicle 3 is completed at time t82, which is after time t81. Note that in the period immediately prior to time t82, as the amount of stored power in vehicle 3 approaches the target value, the power supplied to the storage battery 12 of vehicle 3 is gradually reduced.

[0145] In this comparative example, the heating of the storage battery 12 as required and the subsequent charging of the storage battery 12 are performed in sequence in each vehicle 10 in accordance with a preset priority. Therefore, the time t82 when charging of all the vehicles 10 is completed is later than the time t80 when charging is completed in this embodiment.

[0146] In contrast, the control device 200 according to this embodiment, while performing charging according to priority as a rule, can shorten the time required to complete charging compared to the comparative example by, for example, first charging a vehicle 10 with a low priority and whose storage battery 12 is at an appropriate temperature. Until the storage battery 12 of the vehicle 1 with the highest priority reaches an appropriate temperature, the control device 200 gives top priority to charging a vehicle 3 with a low priority. In this way, surplus power that was not used to charge a vehicle 10 with a high priority is used by the vehicle 10 with a low priority, making it possible to complete charging of all vehicles 10 in a short period of time.

[0147] In each of the above-described embodiments, an example is shown in which the maximum output of the power supply device 20 is smaller than the maximum charging power of each vehicle 10. When the maximum output of the power supply device 20 is larger than the maximum charging power of each vehicle 10, the power supply device 20 may simultaneously charge a plurality of vehicles 10 or operate the temperature control device 14 to heat the storage battery 12 within a range not exceeding the maximum output of the power supply device 20. In other words, the number of vehicles 10 to be charged simultaneously or the number of vehicles 10 that operate the temperature control device 14 simultaneously may be different from the examples of the above-described embodiments, as long as the power output from the power supply device 20 does not exceed the maximum output. In this case, the vehicles 10 to be charged or the vehicles 10 that operate the temperature control device 14 may be selected in order of priority.

[0148] The above describes an example in which the storage battery 12 is heated by the temperature control device 14, but control based on the same concept as above can also be performed in the case in which the storage battery 12 that has become hot is cooled by the temperature control device 14.

[0149] The present embodiment has been described above with reference to specific examples. However, the present disclosure is not limited to these specific examples. Any design modifications made by a person skilled in the art to these specific examples are also included within the scope of the present disclosure as long as they have the features of the present disclosure. The elements of each of the above-mentioned specific examples and their arrangements, conditions, shapes, etc. are not limited to those exemplified and can be changed as appropriate. The combination of each of the elements of each of the above-mentioned specific examples can be changed as appropriate as long as no technical contradiction occurs.

[0150] The control device and the control method described in the present disclosure may be realized by one or more dedicated computers provided by configuring a processor and a memory programmed to execute one or more functions embodied in a computer program. The control device and the control method described in the present disclosure may be realized by a dedicated computer provided by configuring a processor including one or more dedicated hardware logic circuits. The control device and the control method described in the present disclosure may be realized by one or more dedicated computers configured by a combination of a processor and a memory programmed to execute one or more functions and a processor including one or more hardware logic circuits. The computer program may be stored in a computer-readable non-transitory tangible recording medium as instructions executed by the computer. The dedicated hardware logic circuit and the hardware logic circuit may be realized by a digital circuit including a plurality of logic circuits, or an analog circuit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0151] 10: Vehicle 12: Battery 14: Temperature control equipment 20: Power supply device 30: Cable 200: Control device 210: Power adjustment section 220: Timing adjustment section

Claims

1. A control device (200) that controls charging from a power supply device (20) to a vehicle (10), The power supply device is capable of simultaneously connecting a plurality of the vehicles via a cable (30); The vehicle includes a storage battery (12) that stores the supplied electric power, and a temperature control device (14) that adjusts the temperature of the storage battery, A power adjustment unit (210) that adjusts the power supplied to the vehicle; a timing adjustment unit (220) that adjusts the timing for charging each of the vehicles and the timing for operating a temperature control device of each of the vehicles.

2. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the timing adjustment unit sets a priority level for charging each of the vehicles, and starts charging the vehicles in order of the priority level.

3. the vehicles connected to the power supply device include a first vehicle and a second vehicle having a lower priority than the first vehicle; The power adjustment unit is The control device according to claim 2 , further comprising: a control device configured to supply power to a second vehicle when the first vehicle is being charged.

4. The control device according to claim 3 , wherein the timing adjustment unit operates the temperature adjustment device of the second vehicle when the first vehicle is being charged.

5. At a timing when the temperature control device of the second vehicle is operated, The control device according to claim 4 , wherein the power adjustment unit reduces the power supplied to the first vehicle.

6. the vehicles connected to the power supply device include a first vehicle and a second vehicle having a lower priority than the first vehicle; When the temperature of the storage battery of the first vehicle is outside a predetermined temperature range suitable for charging, The timing adjustment unit operates the temperature control device of the first vehicle, The control device according to claim 2 , wherein the power adjustment unit starts supplying power to the second vehicle.

7. The control device according to claim 6 , wherein the timing adjustment unit starts charging the second vehicle while the temperature adjustment device of the first vehicle is operating.

8. The control device according to claim 7 , wherein the second vehicle is one of the plurality of vehicles having a lower priority than the first vehicle, the vehicle having a temperature of the storage battery within the temperature range.

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