Charge / discharge control method, charge / discharge device, and computer program

Abstract

To provide a charge / discharge device capable of making appropriate a setting value prior to charge / discharge start, a charge / discharge control method and a computer program.SOLUTION: A charge / discharge device is connected with a storage battery provided in a vehicle, and controls charge / discharge between the storage battery and a power source or a load. The charge / discharge device comprises: a communication section which performs communication connection with an on-vehicle control device which controls charge / discharge in the storage battery inside the vehicle; and a control section which transmits and receives data from the communication section based on a predetermined sequence between the charge / discharge device and the on-vehicle control device. After the communication connection is established by the communication section, the control section transmits to the on-vehicle control device data including a preset current value which can be input or output. Information including a current upper limit value of discharge or charge transmitted from the on-vehicle control device in accordance with the current value is received by the communication section, it is determined whether or not the current value is matched with the received current upper limit value and in a case where it is determined that the current value is not matched, the current value is reset based on the current upper limit value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a charge-discharge control for a storage battery provided in a vehicle, a charge-discharge, and a computer program. Control method a charge-discharge Device and a computer program.

Background Art

[0002] The battery capacity of the storage batteries provided in electric vehicles is relatively large. Technologies have been proposed to realize V2H (Vehicle to Home) that enables the stored power of these vehicles to be supplied not only for driving the electric vehicle but also to loads in a home, for example. Not limited to V2H, technologies have been proposed to realize V2X including V2B (Vehicle to Building) that enables power supply to larger-scale buildings and V2G (Vehicle to Grid) that enables power supply to the power grid. With these technologies, even if a power outage occurs due to a disaster, it is expected that the power stored in a movable electric vehicle can be supplied to maintain life or maintain the operation of a factory. When realizing V2X, it is desirable to be able to charge and discharge in a planned manner under the control of a higher-level device such as an EMS (Energy Management System) that grasps the overall state.

[0003] To realize V2X, it is necessary to deploy a charge-discharge device that has a charge-discharge cable connected to the storage battery of the vehicle and can perform charge-discharge control between the charge-discharge control in the vehicle and the control from the higher-level device. The charge-discharge device not only needs to correspond to vehicles of a specific vehicle type but also needs to correspond to almost all electric vehicles manufactured by various manufacturers and mediate between the control from the higher-level device and various in-vehicle control devices that control the charge-discharge in the storage battery in the vehicle.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a charging and discharging device that maintains a communication connection state with an in-vehicle control device in order to provide immediate charging and discharging capabilities to a higher-level device (EMS) for various vehicle types. Patent Document 1 also discloses that the charging and discharging device changes the control content for maintaining the communication connection state according to the vehicle type. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6773207 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] When discharging from a vehicle's battery based on control from a higher-level device, there is a regulation that the discharge current value cannot be changed from the value set before the discharge begins. However, the actual discharge current value when discharging from a vehicle's battery varies depending on the vehicle's specifications, and there is no guarantee that it will remain constant during charging and discharging. For example, the discharge current value during discharge may not be at its maximum value from the start of discharge, but may be controlled to gradually increase from zero to the maximum value. Also, the actual current value that can be output may fluctuate from the specifications due to a decrease in battery capacity.

[0007] This invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and enables charging and discharging to appropriately set the values ​​before the start of charging and discharging. Control method , charge / discharge Device The purpose is to provide computer programs and other related software. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A charge / discharge device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a charge / discharge device connected to a storage battery provided in a vehicle and controlling charging and discharging between the storage battery and a power source or load, comprising: a communication unit that communicates with an on-board control device that controls charging and discharging of the storage battery in the vehicle; and a control unit that transmits and receives data from the communication unit to the on-board control device based on a predetermined sequence, wherein after the communication connection by the communication unit is established, the control unit transmits data including a set input or output current value to the on-board control device, the communication unit receives information including an upper limit value for discharge or charge transmitted from the on-board control device according to the current value, determines whether the current value and the received upper limit value match, and if they do not match, resets the current value based on the upper limit value.

[0009] A charge / discharge control method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure involves a charge / discharge device connected to a battery provided in a vehicle, which controls charging and discharging between the battery and a power source or load. The device communicates with an on-board control device that controls charging and discharging in the battery within the vehicle. The device transmits data to the on-board control device, including a set input or output current value, based on a predetermined sequence. The device receives information from the on-board control device, including an upper limit value for discharge or charge, according to the current value. The device determines whether the current value matches the received upper limit value. If they do not match, the device resets the current value based on the upper limit value.

[0010] A computer program according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is connected to a battery installed in a vehicle and is mounted on a charge / discharge device that controls charging and discharging between the battery and a power source or load. The computer program communicates with an on-board control device that controls charging and discharging in the battery within the vehicle. Based on a predetermined sequence, the computer transmits data to the on-board control device that includes a set input or output current value. The computer receives information from the on-board control device that includes an upper limit value for discharge or charge according to the current value. The computer determines whether the current value matches the received upper limit value. If they do not match, the computer executes a process to reset the current value based on the upper limit value.

[0011] In the charge / discharge device, charge / discharge control method, and computer program of this disclosure, an input current value is transmitted from the charge / discharge device to the on-board control device based on a predetermined sequence, and the on-board control device transmits a discharge current limit value corresponding to that current value. The same applies to the relationship between the output current value and the charge current limit value. If the input current value and the discharge current limit value do not match, charging and discharging cannot be started even if the predetermined sequence has elapsed. However, in the charge / discharge device, charge / discharge control method, and computer program of this disclosure, the charge / discharge device resets the input current value based on the discharge current limit value received from the on-board control device. The charge / discharge device then transmits the reset input current value again according to the predetermined sequence. In this case, there is a high probability that the input current value of the charge / discharge device and the discharge current limit value in the on-board control device will match, and charging and discharging can be performed smoothly thereafter.

[0012] In one embodiment of the charge / discharge device of the present disclosure, the control unit determines whether the transmitted input current value is greater than the discharge current upper limit value received from the on-board control device, sets the input current value to a value less than or equal to the discharge current upper limit value, re-establishes the communication connection by the communication unit, and retransmits the reset input current value.

[0013] In a conventional charging / discharging device, if the input current value transmitted to the on-board control device in a predetermined sequence is greater than the discharge current limit value received from the on-board control device, the device cannot start discharging while maintaining the communication connection. In the charging / discharging device of this disclosure, if the input current value is greater than the discharge current limit value, the device resets the communication connection and then transmits a newly set input current value based on the discharge current limit value. In this case, the possibility of the input current value subsequently exceeding the discharge current limit value is low, and discharging can proceed smoothly thereafter.

[0014] In one embodiment of the charge / discharge device of the present disclosure, the control unit first establishes a communication connection with the vehicle via the communication unit, then transmits data including the maximum value that can be set as an input current value to the on-board control device, and sets the discharge current upper limit value transmitted from the on-board control device according to the maximum value as the input current value.

[0015] In the charge / discharge device of this disclosure, the maximum value is initially transmitted to the on-board control device as the input current value. In this case, there is a high probability that the input current value will be determined to be greater than the discharge current limit value. However, by utilizing the fact that the on-board control device transmits the maximum discharge current limit value with the transmitted input current value as the upper limit, the maximum input current value can be actually reset.

[0016] In one embodiment of the charge / discharge device of the present disclosure, the control unit first establishes a communication connection with the vehicle via the communication unit, then determines whether the upper limit of the discharge current transmitted from the on-board control device changes within a predetermined period, and if it is determined that it does not change within the predetermined period, sets a value less than or equal to the upper limit of the discharge current as the input current value.

[0017] In the charge / discharge device of this disclosure, the input current value is reset based on the discharge current limit only when there is no change in the discharge current limit transmitted from the on-board control device within a predetermined period. It is also possible to appropriately set a larger input current value for the on-board control device, which gradually increases the discharge current limit after startup and transmits the values ​​sequentially.

[0018] In the charge / discharge device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit stores in a storage unit a current value that can be input or output according to the vehicle type of the vehicle, and transmits data including the stored current value to the in-vehicle control device.

[0019] In the charge / discharge device of the present disclosure, a current value that can be input or output is stored in association with data for identifying the vehicle type of the connected vehicle, and a predetermined sequence is executed using this. The selection of the vehicle type may be received, or the charge / discharge device may estimate the vehicle type. When the current value that can be input or output does not match the current upper limit value of discharge or charge transmitted from the in-vehicle control device, the charge / discharge device may update the storage of the current value that can be input or output for each vehicle type and use it thereafter.

Advantages of the Invention

[0020] According to the present disclosure, the set value before the start of charge / discharge can be reset according to the information obtained from the in-vehicle control device of the vehicle. Therefore, charge / discharge can be controlled with appropriate set values along a predetermined sequence for each of various vehicles.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram of a charge / discharge system including a charge / discharge device. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram showing the connection configuration of the charge / discharge device and the vehicle. [Figure 3] It is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure by the control unit of the first embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure by the control unit of the first embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure by the control unit of the second embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure by the control unit of the second embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure by the control unit of the third embodiment. [Figure 8] This flowchart shows an example of the processing procedure by the control unit of the third embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of a charging and discharging device. [Figure 10] This flowchart shows an example of the processing procedure by the control unit of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 11] This flowchart shows an example of the processing procedure by the control unit of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] This flowchart shows an example of the processing procedure by the control unit for a modified example. [Figure 13] This flowchart shows an example of the processing procedure by the control unit for a modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0022] This disclosure will be described in detail with reference to drawings illustrating embodiments thereof.

[0023] (First Embodiment) Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a charge / discharge system 200 including a charge / discharge device 1. It includes a load 21 located in a building such as a home or business, a power generator 23, and the charge / discharge device 1. Power supplied from the power grid E is branched by power lines PL to the load 21 and power generator 23 at the distribution board 28, and also to vehicles V connected via the charge / discharge device 1. The charge / discharge device 1 is connected to a higher-level device 29 via a communication line CL through the distribution board 28.

[0024] The higher-level device 29 controls the transfer of power from the power grid E to the load 21, and the transfer of power from the power generator 23 to the group of loads 21. In the first embodiment, the higher-level device 29 is described as an EMS that is provided externally as a server device and controls the transfer of power in the region, but it may also be installed in the distribution board 28 to control power generation, charging, and discharging within the building, or it may be built into the charging and discharging device 1.

[0025] In another example, the charge / discharge system 200 includes a power storage device 22, a power generation device 23, and a charge / discharge device 1 installed in a parking lot of a public facility. In this example as well, the power supplied from the power grid E is branched by power lines PL to the power storage device 22 and the power generation device 23 at the distribution board 28, and also to each vehicle V connected via multiple charge / discharge devices 1. The charge / discharge system 200 may also include a fuel cell. In the other example, the higher-level device 29 is described as being provided externally as a server device, but it may also be installed in the distribution board 28 to control power generation, charging, and discharging within the public facility, or it may be built into each charge / discharge device 1 to control charging and discharging.

[0026] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the connection configuration between the charging / discharging device 1 and the vehicle V. The vehicle V is an electric vehicle (EV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), or a fuel cell vehicle (FCV).

[0027] Vehicle V is equipped with a large-capacity energy storage device 30 that can be used for its propulsion. Vehicle V is equipped with a connector 35 to a power line VPL connected to the energy storage device 30, and an on-board control device 32 that controls the charging and discharging of the energy storage device 30. A DC relay 33 included in the charging and discharging circuit on the vehicle V side is interposed in the power line VPL, and the on-board control device 32 controls the ON and OFF of the DC relay 33. The connector 35 includes a communication terminal for communication connection with the on-board control device 32.

[0028] The charging / discharging device 1 comprises a charging / discharging circuit 10, a control unit 11, a vehicle communication unit 12, a power supply unit 13, an operation unit 14, a server communication unit 17, and a higher-level communication unit 16. The charging / discharging circuit 10 includes various circuit elements such as a bidirectional inverter and various relays. The charging / discharging circuit 10 includes a DC relay 10a connected to a connector 15 connected to a vehicle V, and a disconnection relay 10b interposed in a power line PL connected to a power system E. The charging / discharging circuit 10 is connected to the connector 15 via the DC relay 10a and the power line PL.

[0029] The control unit 11 controls the circuit elements included in the charge / discharge circuit 10, and controls the switching of charging and discharging, the amount of current, and the amount of voltage for the vehicle V's energy storage device 30. The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and non-volatile memory, and the CPU controls the charge / discharge circuit 10 by executing control processing based on a computer program 1P stored in the non-volatile memory.

[0030] The computer program 1P stored in the non-volatile memory of the control unit 11 may be a computer program 8P that was stored on a storage medium 8 readable from the computer, which the CPU read and stored in the memory.

[0031] The vehicle communication unit 12 can communicate with the on-board control device 32 via connectors 15 and 35. The communication protocol of the vehicle communication unit 12 only needs to conform to the charging and discharging methods corresponding to the vehicle V and connectors 15 and 35, and it may support multiple protocols and selectively execute one of them to apply to different charging and discharging methods. In this embodiment, the vehicle communication unit 12 communicates with the on-board control device 32 using CAN (Controller Area Network). Communication may also be implemented using a PLC.

[0032] The power supply unit 13 includes a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Systems) circuit and a starting battery, and supplies power to the control unit 11. In the event of a power outage, the power supply unit 13 supplies the power necessary to start the charge / discharge device 1 from the starting battery. The power supply unit 13 may also charge the starting battery with power from the power grid E, the power generator 23, or the vehicle V.

[0033] The operation unit 14 includes a display, a touch panel with a built-in display, and physical buttons, and is exposed on the exterior of the charge / discharge device 1 to receive operations from the user, including START and STOP. The control unit 11 may control the charge / discharge circuit 10 based on the operations received by the operation unit 14. The operation unit 14 includes a lamp, which is controlled by the control unit 11 to light up in a color or pattern according to the status.

[0034] The higher-level communication unit 16 communicates with the higher-level device 29 via a communication line CL. The higher-level communication unit 16 may be, for example, a communication module that supports a communication line CL compliant with Ethernet®, or a communication module that supports a communication line CL compliant with ECHONET / ECHONETLite®. The higher-level communication unit 16 may also implement communication using a PLC.

[0035] As described above, the charge / discharge circuit 10 of the charge / discharge device 1 is connected to the vehicle V's energy storage device 30 via a power line PL through a DC relay 10a and a DC relay 33 on the vehicle V side, when the connector 15 is connected to the vehicle V's connector 35, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The charge / discharge circuit 10 is connected to the power system E and interconnection equipment (energy storage device 22, power generation device 23, etc.) via a power line PL through a disconnection relay 10b and a distribution board 28, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The charge / discharge device 1 controls the exchange of power between the power system E, the vehicle V's energy storage device 30, and the interconnection equipment. When the disconnection relay 10b, DC relay 10a, and DC relay 33 are all ON, the charge / discharge circuit 10 can discharge the energy storage device 30 to the energy storage device 22 or load, or charge the energy storage device 30 from the power system E, via the power line PL.

[0036] The control unit 11 of the charge / discharge device 1 transmits and receives information with the on-board control device 32 via the vehicle communication unit 12, and transmits and receives information with the higher-level device 29 via the higher-level communication unit 16, and controls the charge / discharge circuit 10 based on that information. In particular, before performing charge / discharge, the control unit 11 of the charge / discharge device 1 executes a predetermined connection sequence with the on-board control device 32, and becomes ready to start charging / discharging. The predetermined connection sequence is defined, for example, in charge / discharge control standards such as CHAdeMO (registered trademark).

[0037] In a charge / discharge device 1 that is designed to charge and discharge a variety of vehicles V, it is necessary to match the input current value, which is the maximum current value during discharge in the charge / discharge device 1, with the discharge current upper limit value, which is the maximum current value during discharge specified by the vehicle V's energy storage device 30, in a predetermined connection sequence. If the charge / discharge device 1 is designed to charge only vehicles V from a specific manufacturer or vehicle V of a specific model, this discrepancy between the input current value and the discharge current upper limit value does not occur. However, if a single charge / discharge device 1 is designed to charge and discharge a variety of vehicles V, it is preferable to be able to appropriately change the input current value.

[0038] The control unit 11 of the charge / discharge device 1 of this disclosure sets the optimal input current value by exchanging information with the on-board control device 32 when discharging from the energy storage device 30 of the vehicle V. The processing procedure by the control unit 11 of the charge / discharge device 1 will be described below. Note that the same processing may be performed for the output current value on the charge / discharge device 1 side and the upper limit of the charging current on the vehicle V side during charging.

[0039] Figures 3 and 4 are flowcharts showing an example of the processing procedure by the control unit 11 of the first embodiment. When the control unit 11 is started up in response to a startup instruction from the host device 29, an instruction from the operation unit 14, or the start of power supply from the power supply unit 13 based on a schedule, it starts the following processing.

[0040] The control unit 11 of the charge / discharge device 1 notifies the higher-level device 29 from the higher-level communication unit 16 that it is in a state before connection to the vehicle V (step S101). When the control unit 11 confirms the connection of connectors 15 and 35, i.e., the connection to the vehicle V (step S102), it turns ON the locks on connectors 15 and 35 (step S103). Confirmation of the connection is possible by determining whether or not it is possible to send and receive predetermined signals. If the connection is not made, an error occurs and the start process cannot be executed.

[0041] The control unit 11 establishes a communication connection with the on-board control device 32 via the vehicle communication unit 12 (step S104). Once the communication connection is established, the control unit 11 transmits information including the set input current value to the on-board control device 32 via the vehicle communication unit 12 (step S105). In step S105, the control unit 11 also transmits information regarding the charge / discharge power on the charge / discharge device 1 side, such as the output current value, in addition to the input current value.

[0042] In response to transmitting an input current value, the control unit 11 receives vehicle information from the vehicle communication unit 12, including the discharge current upper limit value transmitted from the on-board control device 32 (step S106). In step S106, in addition to the discharge current upper limit value, the control unit 11 also receives vehicle identification data, vehicle type, charging capacity, and charge rate (SOC: State Of Charge), etc. Vehicle types include EVs, HEVs, PHEVs, FCVs, etc. If the vehicle type is an FCV, vehicle V is a discharge-only vehicle. Even if the vehicle type is an EV, HEV, or PHEV, it may be capable of charging only.

[0043] The control unit 11 compares the discharge current upper limit value received in step S106 with the set input current value and determines whether the input current value is greater than the discharge current upper limit value (step S107).

[0044] If the control unit 11 determines that the input current value is greater than the discharge current upper limit value (S107: YES), the control unit 11 disconnects the communication connection with the on-board control device 32 via the vehicle communication unit 12 (step S108). The control unit 11 resets the input current value (step S109). Note that the reset in step S109 may be limited by the number of times or the time period, and if the reset continues for more than a predetermined number of times, the control unit 11 may terminate with an error.

[0045] In step S109, the control unit 11 sets the maximum discharge current value to a value equal to the maximum discharge current value received in step S106. The control unit 11 may also reset the input current value to a value that is a predetermined amount smaller than the maximum discharge current value received in step S106.

[0046] After resetting the settings, the control unit 11 returns to step S104 and re-establishes the communication connection.

[0047] If the input current value is determined to be less than or equal to the discharge current upper limit value (S107: NO), the control unit 11 notifies the upper communication unit 16 to the upper device 29 that it has completed communication with the vehicle V (step S110). The notification to the upper device 29 that the connection with the vehicle V has been completed includes the set input current value. It may also include the chargeable / dischargeable power determined based on the charge capacity and charge rate of the energy storage device 30.

[0048] The control unit 11 turns on the DC relay 10a on the charge / discharge device 1 side and the DC relay 33 on the vehicle V side, and keeps the DC relay 33 on the vehicle V side ON, and waits in a "connection standby state" where charging or discharging can be started or the output changed at any time (step S111).

[0049] The control unit 11 turns ON the disconnection relay 10b of the charge / discharge circuit 10, which is a relay on the charge / discharge device 1 side (the DC relay 10a remains ON), and starts or continues charging / discharging according to the power setting instructed from the higher-level device 29 or the operation unit 14 (step S112). In the first embodiment, the process for setting the input current value in the charge / discharge device 1 is described, so in step S112, the control unit 11 controls the start or continuation of "discharging".

[0050] The control unit 11 determines whether or not it has received an instruction to terminate charging and discharging from the higher-level device 29, the in-vehicle control device 32, or the operation unit 14 (step S113).

[0051] If it is determined that an instruction to terminate has been received (S113: YES), the control unit 11 starts the termination sequence and notifies the vehicle communication unit 12 to the on-board control device 32 of the stop (step S114). The control unit 11 turns OFF both the DC relay 10a and the disconnection relay 10b of the charge / discharge circuit 10, which are relays on the charge / discharge device 1 side, and disconnects communication with the vehicle V side (step S115). The control unit 11 turns OFF the locks of connectors 15 and 35 (step S116), notifies the higher-level communication unit 16 to the higher-level device 29 of the stop state (step S117), and terminates the process. After that, the control unit 11 may transition to a shutdown or sleep state.

[0052] The control unit 11 may terminate processing upon the communication disconnection in step S115 and keep the connector locked until the unlock operation is performed by the operation unit 14. While the connector is locked, the input current value setting data stored in memory is the one reset in the most recent step S109. In other words, as long as the connector is locked and the same vehicle V remains connected, the input current value set most recently will be used even after the communication connection is disconnected. This allows the appropriate input current value for the connected vehicle V to be used to be used as is.

[0053] If it is determined that no instruction to terminate has been received (S113: NO), the control unit 11 determines whether or not the discharge current upper limit has been changed by the on-board control device 32 (step S118). In step S118, the control unit 11 determines whether or not it has received the discharge current upper limit from the on-board control device 32. In addition, the control unit 11 may receive a stop notification from the on-board control device 32. The processing in step S118 may be made to always be executed before the start of discharge in step S112. Before the start of charging and discharging,

[0054] If the control unit 11 determines that the current value has been changed (S118: YES), it notifies the vehicle communication unit 12 to the on-board control device 32 to stop charging and discharging (step S119), and returns the process to step S108. In this case, the control unit 11 uses the discharge current upper limit value received in step S118 to reset the input current value in step S109 (S109).

[0055] If the control unit 11 determines that the current value will not be changed (S118: NO), it returns to step S112 and continues charging and discharging.

[0056] After establishing a communication connection with the vehicle V, the control unit 11, while connected, is constrained by the limitation that it cannot reset the input current value set when executing a predetermined connection sequence. To address this, it enables discharge at the highest possible power by following the processing procedure shown in the flowcharts of Figures 3 and 4.

[0057] For example, suppose the memory of the control unit 11 of the charge / discharge device 1 stores the input current value set to "100A" based on the specifications of the charge / discharge device 1 itself. In this case, in step S105, the control unit 11 transmits information including the input current value set to "100A" to the on-board control device 32. Depending on the state of charge (SOC) or maximum battery capacity of the energy storage device 30 at that time, the on-board control device 32 may set and transmit the discharge current limit value to "80A". In this case, since the input current value is greater than the discharge current limit value, if the conventional input current value cannot be changed, the charge / discharge operation would terminate with an error. The user or administrator would need to take action such as resetting the input current value using the operation unit 14 and restarting the device.

[0058] In the first embodiment, the control unit 11 of the charge / discharge device 1 automatically resets the input current value according to the discharge current upper limit value transmitted from the vehicle V and executes a predetermined connection sequence again. This reduces the possibility that charging and discharging may be terminated with an error before starting due to the setting of the input current value. Furthermore, in the charge / discharge device 1 of the first embodiment, a vehicle V with a discharge current upper limit value smaller than the set input current value can also be used as a target for discharge, such as when the battery capacity of the energy storage device 30 changes.

[0059] (Second Embodiment) The charge / discharge system 200 of the second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment, except that the procedure for setting the input current value in the charge / discharge device 1 differs from the procedure in the first embodiment. Common components are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions are omitted. The procedure for setting the input current value will be described below with reference to a flowchart.

[0060] Figures 5 and 6 are flowcharts illustrating an example of the processing procedure performed by the control unit 11 of the second embodiment. For the processing procedures shown in the flowcharts of Figures 5 and 6, steps that are common to those shown in the flowcharts of Figures 3 and 4 are given the same step numbers, and detailed explanations are omitted.

[0061] In the second embodiment, if the control unit 11 determines in step S107 that the input current value is greater than the discharge current upper limit value (S107: YES), it disconnects communication with the in-vehicle control device 32 (S108). In the second embodiment, the control unit 11 determines whether the discharge current upper limit value received in step S106 is the same as the discharge current upper limit value that was previously received and stored (step S121).

[0062] If it is determined that they are the same (S121: YES), the control unit 11 sets the discharge current to the upper limit value received in step S106 (S109) and returns the process to step S104.

[0063] If it is determined that they are not the same (S121: NO), the control unit 11 stores the discharge current upper limit value received this time (step S122), and returns the process to step S104 without resetting the input current value.

[0064] In step S121, the control unit 11 determines how many times the values ​​have been determined to be different, and whether this number exceeds a predetermined number. If it exceeds the predetermined number, the most recently stored discharge current upper limit value may be used as the input current value. This is because if the same discharge current upper limit value is received a predetermined number of times, that value is a converged value. Also in step S121, the control unit 11 measures the period since the pre-connection state was first notified in step S101, and determines whether this period exceeds a predetermined period. If this period exceeds a predetermined period, the most recently received discharge current upper limit value may be set as the input current value. This is because if there is a provision that the discharge current upper limit value must reach the "upper limit value" within a predetermined period, the value after the predetermined period is truly the "upper limit value".

[0065] For example, the on-board control device 32 may not transmit the truly maximum discharge current limit value in response to the initial input current value it receives, but rather transmit the value while gradually changing it. In a vehicle V that behaves in this way, the on-board control device 32 may transmit the discharge current limit value as follows: for example, "10A" initially, "70A" after 3 seconds, and "100A" after 5 seconds (for example, increasing at a rate of 20A / second). In this case, it is not desirable for the control unit 11 to set the initial "10A" as the input current value in step S109. The processing procedure shown in the flowcharts of Figures 5 and 6 of the second embodiment allows the finally increased discharge current limit value to be appropriately set as the input current value even in a vehicle V that behaves in this way.

[0066] However, to prevent the input current value from being repeatedly determined to be the discharge current limit indefinitely in step S107, it is advisable to set an upper limit on the number of resets or the time period in step S109. Also, once in step S107 the input current value is determined to be the discharge current limit, it is possible to set the discharge current limit, which has stopped rising, as the input current value by waiting, for example, 5 seconds before returning to step S104.

[0067] (Third embodiment) The charge / discharge system 200 of the third embodiment is the same as the first embodiment, except that the procedure for setting the input current value in the charge / discharge device 1 differs from the procedure in the first embodiment. Common components are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions are omitted. The procedure for setting the input current value will be described below with reference to a flowchart.

[0068] Figures 7 and 8 are flowcharts illustrating an example of the processing procedure performed by the control unit 11 of the third embodiment. For the processing procedures shown in the flowcharts of Figures 7 and 8, steps that are common to those shown in the flowcharts of Figures 3 and 4 are given the same step numbers, and detailed explanations are omitted.

[0069] In step S104, when the control unit 11 first establishes a communication connection with the in-vehicle control device 32, it sets the input current value to the maximum value that can be set, or a predetermined large value (step S131). The control unit 11 transmits information including the input current value with the maximum value set from the vehicle communication unit 12 (step S105).

[0070] In this case, in step S106, vehicle information including the maximum discharge current upper limit value that can be set on the vehicle V side is transmitted from the on-board control device 32 according to the maximum input current value, and the control unit 11 receives this (S106).

[0071] In steps S105 and S106, the control unit 11 can, for example, set the input current value to an unrealistic value such as "255A" and transmit it to the on-board control device 32 based on the data format used when transmitting the input current value. In this case, the on-board control device 32 transmits the maximum discharge current limit value at that time. This is because, according to the agreement for exchanging vehicle information between the charge / discharge device 1 and the on-board control device 32, there are cases in which the on-board control device 32 transmits a discharge current limit value, which is the maximum value with the input current value from the charge / discharge device 1 as the upper limit.

[0072] In step S107, the control unit 11 naturally determines that the input current value is greater than the discharge current upper limit value (S107: YES), disconnects communication with the on-board control device 32 (S108), and sets the input current value to the discharge current upper limit value received in step S106 (S109). The subsequent processing is the same as the processing procedure in the first embodiment.

[0073] As a result, the control unit 11 can obtain the truly maximum discharge current upper limit from the on-board control device 32, and can supply power from the charge / discharge device 1 to the load 21 side with the maximum possible input current value. The setting of the maximum possible input current value in the third embodiment is also applicable to the procedure shown in the second embodiment.

[0074] (Fourth Embodiment) In the fourth embodiment, the control unit 11 stores input current values ​​in memory associated with data identifying the vehicle type. Figure 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the charge / discharge device 1 in the fourth embodiment. Figure 9 also shows the connection configuration between the charge / discharge device 1 and the vehicle V. As shown in Figure 9, the charge / discharge device 1 stores data on input current values ​​for each vehicle type in the memory of the control unit 11.

[0075] The control unit 11 sets the input current value using this vehicle-specific input current value data. Figures 10 and 11 are flowcharts showing an example of the processing procedure by the control unit 11 of the fourth embodiment. Of the processing procedures shown in the flowcharts of Figures 10 and 11, those that are common with the procedures shown in the flowcharts of Figures 3 and 4 are given the same step numbers and detailed explanations are omitted.

[0076] When the control unit 11 starts up in response to a startup instruction from the host device 29, an instruction from the operation unit 14, or the start of power supply from the power supply unit 13 based on a schedule, it accepts the selection of a vehicle type (step S141) and notifies the user that it is in a pre-connection state (S101). In step S141, the control unit 11 accepts the user's selection of a vehicle type from the list via the operation unit 14 and stores identifying data corresponding to the selected vehicle type in memory.

[0077] Subsequently, in step S104, the control unit 11 establishes a communication connection with the in-vehicle control device 32 (S104), and then reads out the input current value associated with the vehicle identification data received in step S141 (step S142). The control unit 11 transmits the information, including the read input current value, from the vehicle communication unit 12 (S105). In this case, since an appropriate input current value is set for the vehicle, it is unlikely that the control unit 11 will determine in step S107 that the input current value is greater than the discharge current upper limit. Thereafter, the control unit 11 is likely to be able to continue the processing in step S108 smoothly.

[0078] In the fourth embodiment, the control unit 11 of the charge / discharge device 1 was described as receiving vehicle selection from the user via the operation unit 14. However, the method of vehicle selection is not limited to this. For example, the control unit 11 may receive notification of the vehicle type from the host device 29 instead of the first step S141.

[0079] Furthermore, instead of selecting a vehicle type, the control unit 11 may estimate the vehicle type through the processing in steps S102-S106 and reset the input current value again. For example, the vehicle type can be estimated based on the content of the vehicle information received in step S106. In step S102, the control unit 11 may receive the first communication signal in the CAN communication with the on-board control device 32 and estimate the vehicle type based on the content or behavior of that first communication signal. Alternatively, if the control unit 11 can receive the discharge current upper limit value when receiving the first communication signal from the on-board control device 32 in step S102, it may use the discharge current upper limit value received in step S102 thereafter. For example, Japanese Patent No. 6737390 can be used as a method for estimating the vehicle type. Other estimation methods may also be adopted.

[0080] This allows setting an appropriate input current value for each connected vehicle V, receiving an appropriate discharge current upper limit from the vehicle V's onboard control device 32, completing a predetermined connection sequence, and executing the charge / discharge process.

[0081] (modified version) In the fourth embodiment, data of input current values ​​stored for each vehicle model is used. In the modified example described below, this data of input current values ​​for each vehicle model is created by the control unit 11. Figures 12 and 13 are flowcharts showing an example of the processing procedure by the control unit 11 in the modified example. Of the processing procedures shown in the flowcharts of Figures 12 and 13, those that are common with the processing procedures shown in the flowcharts of Figures 3 and 4 are given the same step numbers and detailed explanations are omitted.

[0082] In the modified example, the control unit 11 starts up in response to a startup instruction from the higher-level device 29, an instruction from the operation unit 14, or the start of power supply from the power supply unit 13 based on a schedule, accepts the vehicle type selection (step S151), and notifies that it is in a pre-connection state (S101).

[0083] In step S104, the control unit 11 first establishes a communication connection with the in-vehicle control device 32 (S104), and then reads out the input current value associated with the vehicle identification data received in step S151 (step S152).

[0084] In the modified example, the input current value associated with the identification data is initially (before learning) the default value. Therefore, in step S107, the control unit 11 may determine that the input current value is greater than the discharge current upper limit. In step S107, if the control unit 11 determines that the input current value is greater than the discharge current upper limit (S107: YES), it disconnects the communication connection (S108) and determines whether the discharge current upper limit received in step S106 is the same as the discharge current upper limit received previously (step S153). In step S153, since the first determination after startup (connector lock) does not involve a previously received discharge current upper limit, the control unit 11 determines that it is not the same as the previous one.

[0085] If the control unit 11 determines that the two are the same (S153: YES), it resets the discharge current upper limit, which has stopped fluctuating, to the input current value (S109), and stores the reset input current value in memory in association with the vehicle identification data received in step S151 (step S154). The control unit 11 returns to step S104 and performs reconnection.

[0086] If it is determined that they are not the same (S153: NO), the control unit 11 stores the received discharge current upper limit (step S155) because the discharge current upper limit transmitted from the on-board control device 32 may be increasing, and returns the process to step S104.

[0087] In this case, even if the input current value for all vehicle types is initially set to the value of "100A," the actual input current value can be recorded for vehicles V that have been connected before. This allows the charge / discharge device 1 to gradually learn that the input current value for one vehicle type is "100A," and for another vehicle type it is "120A," and so on. The next time a vehicle V of the same type is connected, the charge / discharge device 1 is more likely to be able to set an appropriate input current value.

[0088] In the first to fourth embodiments and their modifications described above, the charge / discharge system 200 is configured to receive instructions from the host device 29. However, connection to the host device 29 is not mandatory for the charge / discharge system 200, and even when there are no instructions from the host device 29, i.e., when charge / discharge is not controlled by the EMS, an appropriate input current value is set. If the host device 29 is not connected, the status notification to the host device 29 and the reception of instructions from the host device 29 described above are omitted.

[0089] The embodiments disclosed above are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are included. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 1 Charge / discharge device 11 Control Unit 12. Vehicle Communications Department 14 Control section 1P, 9P Computer Program 30 Energy storage devices 32. On-board control devices V Vehicle

Claims

1. A charge / discharge device connected to a battery installed in a vehicle, which controls charging and discharging between the battery and a power source or load, The vehicle communicates with an on-board control device that controls the charging and discharging of the battery, After a communication connection is established with the in-vehicle control device, data including the current value that can be set as input or output is transmitted to the in-vehicle control device based on a predetermined sequence. The system receives information including the upper limit of the discharge or charge current transmitted from the on-board control device in accordance with the current value. Whether the aforementioned current value matches the received current limit value is determined by whether the transmitted input current value is greater than the discharge current limit value received from the on-board control device. If it is determined that they do not match, the current value is set to a value less than or equal to the upper limit of the discharge current. The communication connection with the in-vehicle control device is re-established, and the reset input current value is resent. Charge / discharge control method.

2. A charge / discharge device connected to a battery provided in a vehicle, which controls charging and discharging between the battery and a power source or load, The vehicle communicates with an on-board control device that controls the charging and discharging of the battery, Data including current values ​​that can be set as input or output is transmitted to the in-vehicle control device based on a predetermined sequence. The system receives information including the upper limit of the discharge or charge current transmitted from the on-board control device in accordance with the current value. After initially establishing a communication connection with the vehicle, it is determined whether the upper limit of the discharge current transmitted from the on-board control device changes within a predetermined period. Determine whether the current value and the received current upper limit value match. If it is determined that the values ​​do not match, and that the discharge current upper limit does not change within the predetermined period, the input current value is reset to a value less than or equal to the discharge current upper limit. Charge / discharge control method.

3. A charge / discharge device connected to a battery provided in a vehicle, which controls charging and discharging between the battery and a power source or load, The system stores the current values ​​that can be input or output depending on the vehicle model in the memory unit. The vehicle communicates with an on-board control device that controls the charging and discharging of the battery, In the interaction with the in-vehicle control device, data including current values ​​that can be input or output and are stored in the storage unit corresponding to the vehicle type is transmitted to the in-vehicle control device based on a predetermined sequence. The system receives information including the upper limit of the discharge or charge current transmitted from the on-board control device in accordance with the current value. Determine whether the current value and the received current upper limit value match. If it is determined that the values ​​do not match, the current value is reset based on the current upper limit. Charge / discharge control method.

4. The charging and discharging device is After initially establishing a communication connection with the vehicle, data including the maximum value that can be set as the input current value is transmitted to the on-board control device. The upper limit of the discharge current transmitted from the on-board control device according to the maximum value is set as the input current value. A charge / discharge control method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A charge / discharge device connected to a battery provided in a vehicle, which controls charging and discharging between the battery and a power source or load, comprising a control unit that performs the charge / discharge control method described in any one of Claims 1 to 3. Charge / discharge device.

6. A computer mounted on a charge / discharge device connected to a battery provided in a vehicle, which controls charging and discharging between the battery and a power source or load, The charge / discharge control method described in any one of claims 1 to 3 is executed. Computer program.

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