Automatic charging stand

Abstract

To enable automatic charging by a charging instruction of a user from a remote place.SOLUTION: An automatic charging stand includes: an automatic charging device which includes a vehicle-side connector for charging a mounted battery, an on-vehicle control device for managing charging of the battery and a communication device and can automatically charge the battery by using communication with an electric vehicle parked in a prescribed range; a charging control device for controlling the automatic charging device; and the communication device. The charging control device transmits a prescribed use guide on use of charging the battery to an information terminal which a user has registered during prescribed authentication time when the user of the electric vehicle is authenticated through prescribed electronic authentication processing via communication.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , ,

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an automatic charging stand, and more particularly to an automatic charging stand including an automatic charging device capable of automatically charging an in-vehicle battery of an electric vehicle parked within a predetermined range by using communication.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as this type of automatic charging stand, there has been proposed a charging arm control device for an electric vehicle or the like that extends a charging arm of an automatic charging device when a vehicle is parked to search for a charging socket provided on the electric vehicle, fits into the charging socket, and charges the electric vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this device, the current position of an electric vehicle parked near the automatic charging device is measured by integrating a magnetic nail detected by a detection device using a distance sensor and an azimuth sensor, and a computer that measures the error between this current position and an ideal position, and a wireless device that notifies the measured error to the automatic charging device are provided, and the charging arm of the automatic charging device is moved to an initial position of the charging arm corresponding to the current position of the electric vehicle based on the error.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a charging device that charges an in-vehicle battery, user authentication (such as biometric authentication) may be performed when charging the battery, such as when connecting a charging cable. In an automatic charging device that automatically charges an in-vehicle battery, there may be a case where a user wants to remotely instruct charging by the automatic charging device, but when user authentication (such as biometric authentication) is required during charging, it is not possible to remotely instruct charging to the automatic charging device.

[0005] The primary purpose of the automatic charging station described herein is to enable automatic charging based on remote charging instructions from the user. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The automatic charging station of this disclosure employs the following means to achieve the primary objective described above.

[0007] The automatic charging stand described herein is An automatic charging station having a vehicle-side connector for charging the mounted battery, an on-board control device and a communication device for managing the charging of the battery, and capable of automatically charging the battery of an electric vehicle parked within a predetermined range using communication, a charging control device for controlling the automatic charging station, and a communication device, The charging control device, upon authentication of the user of the electric vehicle through a predetermined electronic authentication process via communication, transmits predetermined usage instructions regarding the charging of the battery to the information terminal registered by the user. It is characterized by the following:

[0008] In the automatic charging station of this disclosure, the charging control device has a vehicle-side connector for charging the mounted battery, an on-board control device for managing battery charging, and a communication device, and controls the automatic charging device to automatically charge the battery of an electric vehicle parked within a predetermined range using communication. When the charging control device authenticates the user of the electric vehicle through a predetermined electronic authentication process via communication, it transmits predetermined usage instructions regarding battery charging to the information terminal registered by the user. This enables automatic charging based on the user's remote charging instructions.

[0009] In the automatic charging station of this disclosure, the charging control device may, upon predetermined authentication, obtain the current energy amount and the full charge energy amount of the battery from the on-board control device via communication, calculate the time required to fully charge the battery based on the current energy amount and the full charge energy amount, and calculate the full charge fee as the charge for fully charging the battery, and transmit the predetermined usage guide, including the full charge time and the full charge fee, to the information terminal. In this way, the user can confirm the full charge time and the full charge fee before issuing a charging instruction. In this case, the predetermined usage guide may include a full charge display unit that displays the full charge time and the full charge fee, a first input unit for the user to input their desire for a full charge of the battery, a second input unit for the user to input their desired charging time, and / or a third input unit for the user to input their desired charging fee. In this way, the user can issue a charging instruction for a full charge, a desired charging time, or a desired charging fee. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This diagram shows a schematic configuration of an automatic charging system 10, including an automatic charging stand 20, as one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This flowchart shows an example of an automatic charging process performed by the charging control device 30, the user terminal 40, and the in-vehicle control device 130. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Next, embodiments for implementing this disclosure will be described. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an automatic charging system 10 including an automatic charging stand 20 as one embodiment of this disclosure.

[0012] The automatic charging system 10 of this embodiment consists of a wired or wireless communication network 12, an automatic charging station 20, a user terminal 40, and an electric vehicle 120.

[0013] The automatic charging station 20 is configured as a charging station that charges the battery 124 mounted on the electric vehicle 120 using power from the commercial power supply 5. The automatic charging station 20 includes a charging device 22, a station-side connector 24, a drive device 26, a charging control device 30, and a communication device 32.

[0014] The charging device 22 has one end connected to the commercial power supply 5 via a power line, and the other end connected to the stand connector 24. The charging device 22 converts the power from the commercial power supply 5 into power suitable for charging the battery 124 mounted on the electric vehicle 120, and charges the battery 124.

[0015] The drive unit 25 is configured as a three-dimensional driveable device that moves the stand connector 24 forward, backward, left, right, up, and down in order to connect the stand-side connector 24 to the vehicle-side connector 139.

[0016] The charging control device 30 is configured as a microcomputer centered on a CPU and controls the charging device 22, the drive device 26, and the communication device 32. The charging control device 30 receives position information of the stand-side connector 24 from a positioning sensor 28 attached to the stand-side connector 24. The charging control device 30 also outputs a drive control signal to the drive device 26. The charging control device 30 controls the drive device 26 based on the position information of the stand-side connector 24 from the positioning sensor 28, thereby connecting the stand-side connector 24 to the vehicle-side connector 139. The charging control device 30 is connected to a stand-side communication line 25, which connects to the vehicle-side communication line 141 connected to the on-board control device 130 when the stand-side connector 24 is connected to the vehicle-side connector 139.

[0017] The user terminal 40 is configured as a well-known smartphone and has a charging application 42 installed that is used with the automatic charging system 10. When the charging application 42 is installed, the user terminal 40 is registered with the automatic charging stand 20 along with authentication data and authentication confirmation data for user authentication.

[0018] The electric vehicle 120 comprises a motor 122, an inverter 123, a battery 124, a charging circuit 138, a vehicle-side connector 139, and an on-board control device 130.

[0019] The motor 122 is configured, for example, as a synchronous generator-motor, and its rotor is connected to a drive shaft 125 which is linked to drive wheels 128a and 128b via a differential gear 126. The motor 122 is driven by converting DC power from the battery 124 into three-phase AC power using an inverter 123 and applying it to the motor. The battery 124 is configured as a well-known lithium-ion secondary battery or nickel-metal hydride secondary battery.

[0020] The charging circuit 138 has one end connected to a power line connected to the battery 124, and the other end connected to a vehicle-side connector 139 for connection to the stand-side connector 24 of the automatic charging station 20. The charging circuit 138 has a charging relay (not shown), which can connect to and disconnect from the battery 124. The vehicle-side connector 139 is covered by a lid 140, and can be connected to the stand-side connector 24 by opening the lid 140.

[0021] The in-vehicle control device 130 is configured as a microcomputer centered around a CPU, although not shown in the figure. Signals from various sensors are input to the in-vehicle control device 130 via input ports. Signals input to the in-vehicle control device 130 via the input ports include an ignition signal from the ignition switch 142, a shift position SP from the shift position sensor 144 that detects the position of the shift lever 143, an accelerator opening Acc from the accelerator pedal position sensor 146 that detects the depression amount of the accelerator pedal 145, a brake position BP from the brake pedal position sensor 148 that detects the depression amount of the brake pedal 147, a vehicle speed V from the vehicle speed sensor 149, etc. Further, a rotational position θ from a rotational position sensor (not shown) that detects the rotational position of the motor 122, a battery voltage Vb from a voltage sensor (not shown) attached to the output terminal of the battery 124, a battery current Ib from a current sensor (not shown) attached to the output terminal of the battery 124, a charge / discharge voltage Vchg from a voltage sensor attached to the charge circuit 138, a charge / discharge current Ichg from a current sensor attached to the charge circuit 138, etc. can also be mentioned.

[0022] Various control signals are output from the in-vehicle control device 130 via the output ports. Examples of the control signals output from the in-vehicle control device 130 via the output ports include a display control signal to the display device 150, a communication control signal to the communication device 152, an air-conditioning control signal to the air-conditioning device 154, and the like. Further, a switching control signal for switching a switching element (not shown) to the inverter 123 for driving the motor 122, a drive control signal to a system main relay (not shown) attached near the battery 124, a drive control signal to a charging relay (not shown) attached to the charging circuit 138, and a drive control signal to the lid opener 140a for opening and closing the lid 140 can also be mentioned. The in-vehicle control device 130 communicates with a navigation system 156 that displays various information and performs route guidance. A vehicle-side signal line 140 for communicating with the automatic charging stand 20 is connected to the in-vehicle control device 130 via the vehicle-side connector 139 and the stand-side connector 24.

[0023] The in-vehicle control device 130 calculates the state of charge SOC of the battery 124, the input / output limits Win, Wout of the battery 124, etc. based on the battery voltage Vb and the battery current Ib. The state of charge SOC is the ratio (percentage) of the amount of energy that can be discharged at the current time (current energy amount) of the battery 124 to the amount of energy at full charge (full charge energy amount) of the battery 124. The input limit Win is the maximum allowable power when charging the battery 124, and the output limit is the maximum allowable power when discharging from the battery 124.

[0024] Next, the operation in the automatic charging system of the embodiment, particularly the operation when the electric vehicle 120 is parked at a predetermined parking position where it can be charged by the automatic charging stand 20 and charged based on a remote charging instruction from the user, will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the automatic charging process executed by the charging control device 30, the user terminal 40, and the in-vehicle control device 130 when automatically charging by the automatic charging stand 20.

[0025] The automatic charging process begins when a user requests automatic charging using the charging application 42 on the user terminal 40 (step S100). Upon receiving the charging request, the charging control device 30 requests user authentication from the user terminal 40 (step S200). User authentication can be performed, for example, by sending authentication data or authentication confirmation data to the charging control device 30 using the fingerprint authentication function or facial recognition function of the user terminal 40, and by determining whether the authentication data or authentication confirmation data is registered in advance on the charging control device 30 side. The charging control device 30 determines whether the user has been authenticated (step S210), and terminates the process if authentication cannot be performed.

[0026] If authentication is successful in step S210, the charging control device 30 requests the on-board control device 130 of the electric vehicle 20 to obtain the information necessary to charge the battery 124 (step S210). The information necessary to charge the battery 124 includes the current energy amount and the full charge energy amount. In response to this request, the on-board control device 130 transmits the information necessary to charge the battery 124, including the current energy amount and the full charge energy amount, to the charging control device 30 (step S400).

[0027] When the in-vehicle control device 130 receives the information necessary to charge the battery 124, it calculates the time required to fully charge the battery (full charge time) and the cost required to fully charge the battery (full charge cost) based on the current energy amount and the full charge energy amount (step S230), and sends a user guide to the user terminal 40, including a display of the full charge time and full charge cost (step S240). On the user terminal 40, in addition to the full charge time and full charge cost, the user guide displays a full charge instruction button to instruct charging to full charge, a charging time input field for the user to enter the desired charging time, and a charging cost input field for the user to enter the desired charging cost, prompting the user to enter a charging instruction. When the user enters a charging instruction from the user terminal 40, including operating the full charge instruction button, entering the charging time in the charging time input field, and entering the charging cost in the charging cost input field, the charging instruction is sent to the charging control device 30 (step S120).

[0028] Upon receiving a charging instruction, the charging control device 30 sends a notification to the user terminal 40 that charging has started (step S250) and requests the in-vehicle control device 130 to open the lid 140 (step S260). In response to this request, the in-vehicle control device 130 outputs a drive control signal to the lid opener 140a to open the lid 140 and transmits this information to the charging control device 30 (step S410).

[0029] Next, the charging control device 30 adjusts the position of the stand-side connector 24 using the drive unit 26 based on the signal from the positioning sensor 28, and connects the stand-side connector 24 to the vehicle-side connector 139 (step S270). It then sends a request to the in-vehicle control device 130 to confirm the connection between the stand-side connector 24 and the vehicle-side connector 139 (step S280). The in-vehicle control device 130 confirms the connection between the stand-side connector 24 and the vehicle-side connector 139 in response to this request and sends a message to the charging control device 30 to that effect (step S420).

[0030] Once the connection between the stand-side connector 24 and the vehicle-side connector 139 is confirmed, the charging control device 30 and the on-board control device 130 exchange information necessary for charging, and the charging device 22 charges the battery 124 according to the charging instructions until charging is complete (steps S290, S300, S430).

[0031] When the charging device 22 completes charging of the battery 124, the charging control device 30 disconnects the connection between the stand-side connector 24 and the vehicle-side connector 139 (step S310). The charging control device 30 then sends a request to the in-vehicle control device 130 to close the lid 140 (step S320), and sends a notification of charging completion to the user terminal 40 (step S330), and terminates the automatic charging process as the charging control device 30.

[0032] Upon receiving a request to close the lid 140, the in-vehicle control device 130 outputs a drive control signal to the lid opener 140a in response to this request, closing the lid 140 and ending its automatic charging process as the in-vehicle control device 130. Meanwhile, the user terminal 40, upon receiving notification of charging completion, notifies the user that charging is complete (step S13) and ends its automatic charging process as the user terminal 40.

[0033] In the automatic charging system 10 of the embodiment described above, the charging control device 30 of the automatic charging station 20, in response to an automatic charging request from the user terminal 40, electronically authenticates the user using the user terminal 40, and then sends a user guide to the user terminal 40, including the time required for full charging and the full charging fee, prompting the user to give a charging instruction. This enables automatic charging based on the user's remote charging instruction. In addition to the time required for full charging and the full charging fee, the user guide includes a full charge instruction button to instruct charging until full charge, a charging time input field for the user to input the desired charging time, and a charging fee input field for the user to input the desired charging fee. This allows the user to give charging instructions not only for full charge, but also for charging time and charging fees, thereby improving user convenience.

[0034] In the embodiment of the automatic charging system 10, an electric vehicle 120 is assumed to be driven by a motor 122 using power from a battery 124. However, any vehicle equipped with a rechargeable battery is acceptable, so it may be a vehicle with various configurations, such as a hybrid vehicle equipped with an engine, motor, and battery, or a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a fuel cell and battery.

[0035] In the embodiment of the automatic charging system 10, the system consists of a communication network 12, an automatic charging station 20, a user terminal 40, and an electric vehicle 120. However, the user terminal 40 may be an in-vehicle unit consisting of an in-vehicle control device 130, a display device 150, and a communication device 152 of the electric vehicle 120, or a general computer system connected to the Web may be used.

[0036] The correspondence between the main elements of the embodiment and the main elements of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem will be explained. In the embodiment, the automatic charging device 22 corresponds to "automatic charging device", the charging control device 30 corresponds to "charging control device", the communication device 32 corresponds to "communication device", and the automatic charging stand 20 corresponds to "automatic charging stand".

[0037] Furthermore, the correspondence between the main elements of the embodiment and the main elements of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem is merely an example to specifically explain the form in which the embodiment implements the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem, and does not limit the elements of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem. In other words, the interpretation of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem should be based on the description in that section, and the embodiment is merely one specific example of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem.

[0038] Although the present disclosure has been described above using embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited in any way to these embodiments, and can of course be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. [Industrial applicability]

[0039] This disclosure can be used in industries such as the manufacturing of automatic charging stations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 5 Commercial power supply, 10 Automatic charging system, 12 Communication network, 20 Automatic charging station, 22 Charging device, 24 Station-side connector, 25 Station-side communication line, 26 Drive unit, 28 Positioning sensor, 30 Charging control device, 32 Communication device, 40 User terminal, 42 Charging app, 120 Electric vehicle, 122 Motor, 123 Inverter, 124 Battery, 125 Drive shaft, 126 Differential gear, 128a,128b Drive wheels, 130 Electronic control unit, 138 Charging circuit, 139 Vehicle-side connector, 140 Lid, 140a Lid opener, 141 Vehicle-side communication line, 142 Ignition switch, 143 Shift lever, 144 Shift position sensor, 145 Accelerator pedal, 146 Accelerator pedal position sensor, 147 Brake pedal, 148 Brake pedal position sensor, 149 Vehicle speed sensor, 150 Display device, 152 Communication device, 154 Air conditioning system, 156 Navigation system.

Claims

1. An automatic charging station having a vehicle-side connector for charging an installed battery, an on-board control device and a communication device for managing the charging of the battery, and an automatic charging device that can automatically connect the stand-side connector to the vehicle-side connector using communication to charge the battery of an electric vehicle parked within a predetermined range, a charging control device for controlling the automatic charging device, and a communication device, The charging control device, before connecting the stand-side connector and the vehicle-side connector, authenticates the user of the electric vehicle through a predetermined electronic authentication process via communication. Upon this predetermined authentication, it transmits predetermined usage instructions regarding the battery charging to the information terminal registered by the user. An automatic charging stand characterized by the following features.

2. An automatic charging stand according to claim 1, The charging control device, upon predetermined authentication, obtains the current energy amount and the fully charged energy amount of the battery from the in-vehicle control device via communication, calculates the time required to fully charge the battery based on the current energy amount and the fully charged energy amount, calculates the charge for fully charging the battery, and transmits the predetermined usage information, including the time required to fully charge and the charge for fully charging, to the information terminal. Automatic charging stand.

3. An automatic charging stand according to claim 2, The aforementioned prescribed user guide includes a full charge display unit that displays the time required for full charge and the full charge fee, a first input unit for the user to input their desire for the battery to be fully charged, a second input unit for the user to input their desired charging time, and / or a third input unit for the user to input their desired charging fee. Automatic charging stand.

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