Charging switching unit for commercial electric vehicles

Abstract

To enable a target commercial electric vehicle to complete charging by its scheduled start time of use without requiring a charging schedule or priority reservation.SOLUTION: A commercial electric vehicle charging switching unit 10 has a charging switching device 11 and a charging switching control device 40. The charging switching control device 40 determines the charging sequence for a commercial electric vehicle 100 on the basis of information in which the vehicle-specific information of the commercial electric vehicle 100 acquired when the commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to a vehicle connection part 16 and the battery information are associated with information registered in a database 51 regarding the scheduled start time of use of the commercial electric vehicle 100, and then performs charging of the commercial electric vehicle 100.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a charging switching unit for commercial electric vehicles To . Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a charging station that sequentially charges a plurality of target electric vehicles to be charged, the charging station comprising a charging power generation unit, a switching unit that switches target vehicles to be charged, a reservation reception unit that receives charging reservations, and a scheduler that performs scheduling for the switching unit, wherein the reservation reception unit includes priority reservations as receivable reservation items, and the scheduler is a charging station that schedules such that a vehicle for which a priority reservation has been made cuts in line before vehicles for which sequential reservations have been made, so that power is supplied to the priority vehicle first. Prior Art Literature Patent Literature

[0003] Patent Document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-42579 Summary of the Invention Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, although the charging station described in Patent Document 1 performs charging according to a charging schedule, even when the start-of-use time of the electric vehicle to be charged is set, charging may not be completed by the start-of-use time depending on the charging schedule. For example, in sequential reservation, charging is performed in the order of electric vehicles connected to the cable, so charging may not be completed by the start-of-use time depending on the number of electric vehicles already connected to the charging cable. Furthermore, even when attempting to cut in line via priority reservation, if permission cannot be obtained from an electric vehicle reserved via sequential reservation, or if there are a plurality of priority reservation vehicles, the electric vehicle may not be charged by the start-of-use time.

[0005] The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems and provides a charging switching unit for commercial electric vehicles that can charge a commercial electric vehicle before the start time of use without the need to set a charging schedule or priority reservation. To The purpose is to provide it. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The charging switching unit for commercial electric vehicles is It is positioned between the charger and the commercial electric vehicle. A charging switching device for commercial electric vehicles, and the charging switching device for commercial electric vehicles The charging switching device for commercial electric vehicles is a separate component from the above. The commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device comprises a charging switching device for commercial electric vehicles that controls the charging switching device for commercial electric vehicles, The charger cable The charger connection part to be connected, Multiple cable ends that connect to each of the aforementioned commercial electric vehicles Vehicle connection part and the charger connection part and multiple The commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device includes a switching unit that selectively switches which of the vehicle connection units to connect to, and the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device is configured such that the commercial electric vehicle is connected to the vehicle connection unit. edge To obtain Car The unique information of both vehicles and the battery information are associated with the start time of use of the commercial electric vehicle. Based on the start time of use The system includes a charging sequence determination unit that determines the charging sequence of the commercial electric vehicle, and a switching control unit that switches the switching unit to charge the commercial electric vehicle in accordance with the charging sequence determination unit. The charging order determination unit rearranges the charging order so that commercial electric vehicles with earlier start times are placed higher in the charging order. Commercial electric vehicles whose charging order is lowered as a result of the rearrangement are only rearranged if their batteries reach a specified charge level by the start time of use. .

[0008] Regarding the charging switching unit for commercial electric vehicles, if the charging switching control device for commercial electric vehicles is equipped with multiple charging switching devices for commercial electric vehicles, and the charging order is rearranged so that the charging order is higher for commercial electric vehicles that start using the vehicle earlier, then the battery of the commercial electric vehicle that becomes lower in the order due to the rearrangement will The commercial electric vehicle If the specified charge level is not reached by the aforementioned start time, a move instruction unit may be provided to instruct the commercial electric vehicle that is connected to the vehicle connection unit the latest in time to move to another commercial electric vehicle charging switching device.

[0009] Regarding the charging switching unit for commercial electric vehicles, if the vehicle-specific information acquired when the commercial electric vehicle is connected to the vehicle connection unit is not registered in the database, the charging switching control device for commercial electric vehicles will not perform the following actions. Applicable The vehicle connection section to which the commercial electric vehicle is connected and the charger connection section are not connected. Control the switching section of the charging switching device for commercial electric vehicles in such a manner That's fine. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the charging system of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram showing a charging switching unit for commercial electric vehicles according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart showing the charging switching control. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart showing the charging sequence determination control of the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a diagram illustrating the operation of a charging switching unit for commercial electric vehicles according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram showing a charging switching unit for commercial electric vehicles according to a second embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart showing the charging sequence determination control of the second embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a diagram illustrating the operation of the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] [First Embodiment] The charging switching unit, charging switching control device, and charging switching device for commercial electric vehicles of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 5.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the charging system CS includes a user (operator) terminal 60 that performs charge management for a plurality of commercial electric vehicles 100, a database 51 in a server 50 that stores various types of information including the use start time acquired by the user terminal 60 and vehicle information acquired from the commercial electric vehicles 100, a commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 that performs charging switching control, a charger 200 that charges the commercial electric vehicles 100, and a commercial electric vehicle charging switching device 11 connected to the output end of a cable 203 from the charger 200. It goes without saying that the server 50 storing the database 51 may be a virtual server represented by a cloud server, or a physical server such as a dedicated server. Similarly, it goes without saying that the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 may be either a physical device or an application on the Web. Furthermore, input of the use start time is not limited to the user terminal 60, and for example, an operation schedule table (operation plan table) may be registered in advance in the database. It should be noted that the most important factor for the normal operation of commercial electric vehicles is to operate on time, and in this sense, the use start time is the most important factor.

[0017] Hereinafter, details of each device constituting the charging system CS will be described with reference to FIG. 2. A commercial electric vehicle charging switching unit 10 charges a plurality of commercial electric vehicles 100 from one charger 200.

[0018] A commercial electric vehicle 100 includes a battery 101, a BMS (Battery Management System) 102, a vehicle control device 103, a power line 104, a signal line 105, and an inlet 106. The commercial electric vehicle 100 is a vehicle for transporting cargo or passengers. Examples of the commercial electric vehicle 100 include buses, pickup / delivery vehicles, garbage trucks, company vehicles, taxis, and transport trucks, but any electric vehicle in any field may be used as long as at least one of departure time, arrival time, and travel route is generally determined.

[0019] The battery 101 is a module formed by connecting a plurality of secondary batteries, and may be any module that can be charged and discharged. Examples of the secondary battery include a lithium ion secondary battery, a zinc battery, an all-solid-state battery, and a nickel metal hydride battery. The battery 101 serves as a power source for a traveling motor included in the commercial electric vehicle 100, and the commercial electric vehicle 100 travels by power supplied from the battery 101.

[0020] The BMS 102 is a battery management system that detects the state of the battery 101, and includes, for example, a sensor for detecting the state of the battery 101 and a monitoring unit that monitors the battery 101 based on detection results from the sensor. The BMS 102 obtains at least the state of charge of the battery 101.

[0021] The vehicle control device 103 is configured to be able to communicate with the BMS 102, and can acquire the state of charge from the BMS 102. The inlet 106 includes a power receiving terminal 107 and a communication terminal 108. The power receiving terminal 107 is connected to the battery 101 via a power line 104 that supplies power to the battery 101. The communication terminal 108 is connected to the vehicle control device 103 via a signal line 105 used for communication of the vehicle control device 103. Note that the BMS 102 and the vehicle control device 103 may be integrated into a single unit. In short, it goes without saying that any hardware configuration may be employed as long as various types of information related to the battery 101 can be acquired from the commercial electric vehicle 100.

[0022] Further, the charger 200 charges the commercial electric vehicle 100. Here, charging the commercial electric vehicle 100 means charging the battery 101 included in the commercial electric vehicle 100. Examples of the charging method of the charger 200 include the CHAdeMO standard, the CCS standard, and the North American Charging Standard.

[0023] Furthermore, the charger 200 includes a power conversion unit 201, a charging control device 202, a cable 203, and a plug 206. The power conversion unit 201 performs power conversion of power supplied from an external power source, for example, converting the power supplied from the external power source into a voltage and current according to the requirements of the vehicle control device 103 and outputting it. In addition, the power conversion unit 201 includes, for example, an AC / DC converter and a DC / DC converter.

[0024] The charging control device 202 controls the power conversion unit 201, for example, by setting a target voltage or target current to be output by the power conversion unit 201, and by controlling the power conversion unit 201 so that the voltage and current output by the power conversion unit 201 follow the target voltage or target current.

[0025] Cable 203 comprises a power line 204 for transmitting power and a signal line 205 for communication. The power line 204 is connected to the power conversion unit 201, and the signal line 205 is connected to the charge control device 202.

[0026] The plug 206 includes a power supply terminal 207 and a communication terminal 208. The power supply terminal 207 is connected to the power conversion unit 201 by a power line 204, and the communication terminal 208 is connected to the charge control device 202 by a signal line 205.

[0027] <Charging switching unit for commercial electric vehicles> The commercial electric vehicle charging switching unit 10 comprises a commercial electric vehicle charging switching device 11 and a commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40.

[0028] The commercial electric vehicle charging switching device 11 comprises a charger connection section 12, a vehicle connection section 16, a plurality of cables 20, and a switching unit 24. The switching unit 24 comprises a switching section 25 and a switching control device 27. The commercial electric vehicle charging switching device 11 may also include a display unit. The commercial electric vehicle charging switching device 11 is installed, for example, on land owned by a business operator that owns a plurality of commercial electric vehicles 100. Examples of such businesses include bus operators, transportation companies, or taxi companies.

[0029] A charger 200 is connected to the charger connection portion 12, and more specifically, a plug 206 of the charger 200 is detachably attached thereto. Further, the charger connection portion 12 includes a power receiving terminal 13 and a communication terminal 14. When the plug 206 is connected to the charger connection portion 12, a power feeding terminal 207 and the power receiving terminal 13 are connected, and at the same time, a communication terminal 208 and the communication terminal 14 are connected. The charger connection portion 12 may be one having the same function as the inlet 106, and for example, one conforming to the same standard as the inlet 106 or compatible with the inlet 106 is used.

[0030] A commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to the vehicle connection portion 16, and more specifically, the vehicle connection portion 16 is detachably attached to an inlet 106 of the commercial electric vehicle 100. Further, the vehicle connection portion 16 includes a power feeding terminal 17 and a communication terminal 18. When the vehicle connection portion 16 is connected to the inlet 106, the power feeding terminal 17 and a power receiving terminal 107 are connected, and at the same time, the communication terminal 18 and a communication terminal 108 are connected. The number of the vehicle connection portions 16 is larger than the number of the charger connection portions 12. For example, any number is acceptable as long as the charger connection portion 12 and the vehicle connection portion 16 have an n:N relationship (n<N, wherein both n and N are any integers). FIG. 2 illustrates, by way of example, the case where there is one charger connection portion 12 and four vehicle connection portions 16. As described above, the vehicle connection portions 16 to which the commercial electric vehicles 100 are connected have more connection points than the charger connection portion 12.

[0031] The cables 20 are provided in the same number as the vehicle connection portions 16, and one cable 20 is connected to each vehicle connection portion 16. The cable 20 includes a power line 21 for transmitting electric power and a signal line 22 for performing communication. The power line 21 connects the power feeding terminal 17 to a switching unit 24, and the signal line 22 connects the communication terminal 18 to the switching unit 24. The cable 20 may be one having the same function as a cable 203, and for example, one conforming to the same standard as the cable 203 or compatible with the cable 203 is used.

[0032] The switching unit 25 selectively switches which of the multiple vehicle connection units 16 the charger connection unit 12 is connected to. Furthermore, the switching unit 25 connects the power receiving terminal 13 of the charger connection unit 12 to the power line 21 of one of the cables 20, and connects the communication terminal 14 of the charger connection unit 12 to the signal line 22 of one of the cables 20. As a result, the charger connection unit 12 is connected to one of the vehicle connection units 16 via the switching unit 25 and the cable 20. Consequently, power from the power conversion unit 201 is supplied to the battery 101 via the switching unit 25 and the cable 20, enabling charging of the battery 101. Furthermore, the charging control device 202 and the vehicle control device 103 become able to communicate via the switching unit 25 and the cable 20. The switching unit 25 may be composed of multiple switches, for example, but it may also be configured by providing one single-pole single-throw switch between the charger connection unit 12 and each cable 20, so that turning on any one of the single-pole single-throw switches connects the charger connection unit 12 to one of the cables 20, or it may be composed of multiple single-pole double-throw switches. Examples of switches include relay switches and semiconductor switches.

[0033] The switching control device 27 comprises, for example, a processor and a memory unit. The processor is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), and the memory unit includes RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory). The switching control device 27 may also be composed of hardware circuits such as an ASIC or FPGA.

[0034] The switching control device 27 comprises a connection detection unit 28 and a vehicle information acquisition unit 29, and the connection detection unit 28 and the vehicle information acquisition unit 29 are functional elements that function when the switching control device 27 executes predetermined processes.

[0035] The connection detection unit 28 detects that the vehicle connection unit 16 is connected to the commercial electric vehicle 100. Specifically, when the vehicle connection unit 16 is connected to the commercial electric vehicle 100, the communication terminals 18 and 108 are connected to each other, establishing communication between the switching control device 27 and the vehicle control device 103. Once communication between the switching control device 27 and the vehicle control device 103 is established, the connection detection unit 28 determines that the vehicle connection unit 16 is connected to the commercial electric vehicle 100. Furthermore, the connection detection unit 28 can individually determine whether each of the multiple vehicle connection units 16 is connected to the commercial electric vehicle 100. For example, this can be done by individually connecting signal lines 22 to each of the multiple ports provided by the switching control device 27 and determining whether a commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to each port. The protocol used for communication between the switching control device 27 and the vehicle control device 103 is arbitrary, but a typical protocol is, for example, CAN (Controller Area Network).

[0036] The vehicle information acquisition unit 29 acquires vehicle information from the commercial electric vehicle 100. Once communication is established between the switching control device 27 and the vehicle control device 103, the vehicle information acquisition unit 29 becomes able to acquire vehicle information from the vehicle control device 103. The vehicle information includes vehicle-specific information and battery information. The vehicle-specific information is unique information set individually for the commercial electric vehicle 100, such as the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), chassis number, or registration number displayed on the license plate. The battery information includes, for example, the upper limit of battery endurance, total battery capacity, and charge rate [%]. The upper limit of battery endurance is the upper limit of the current [A] or power [W] that can be input to the battery 101 when charging the battery 101. The unit of total battery capacity is [Ah] or [Wh].

[0037] The commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 controls the commercial electric vehicle charging switching device 11. The hardware configuration of the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 is, for example, the same as that of the switching control device 27, and includes, for example, a processor and a storage unit. The commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 is configured to communicate with the switching control device 27 and the charging control device 202. The switching control device 27 can transmit vehicle information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit 29 to the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40. Furthermore, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 is configured to control whether the charger connection unit 12 is connected to one of the multiple vehicle connection units 16 by controlling the switching unit 25. In addition, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 can send commands to the charger 200, and commands to the charger 200 include, for example, a charging start command that commands the start of charging by the charger 200, and a charging stop command that commands the stop of charging by the charger 200.

[0038] Incidentally, the charging system CS includes a server 50, which can communicate with the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 via a communication network. Furthermore, the server 50 includes a database 51, which associates, for example, vehicle-specific information with information acquired by the user terminal 60. Here, the information associated with the vehicle-specific information may include the start time of use and may also include charging information. The charging information includes the cumulative charge amount, and the unit of the cumulative charge amount is [Ah] or [Wh]. The cumulative charge amount is the cumulative amount of charge of the battery 101 from past charges. In this way, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 can refer to the information in the database 51 and transmit information to the server 50.

[0039] Furthermore, the charging system CS is equipped with a user terminal 60, which is owned by the manager of the commercial electric vehicle 100, for example, the business owner. The user terminal 60 can communicate with the server 50 via a communication network, and can refer to information in the database 51, and register and update information in the database 51. As a result, the manager of the commercial electric vehicle 100 can register new data in the database 51 or update registered data by operating the user terminal 60, and can register and update data in the database 51, including the start time of use associated with vehicle-specific information. Examples of the user terminal 60 include a personal computer, smartphone, or tablet device.

[0040] <Charging switching control> The commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 performs charging switching control and, when multiple commercial electric vehicles 100 are connected to multiple vehicle connection units 16, controls the switching unit 25 to switch which commercial electric vehicle 100 is to be charged, and sequentially charges the multiple commercial electric vehicles 100.

[0041] The charging switching control will be explained in detail below using the flowchart in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, in step S1, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 determines whether the vehicle connection unit 16 is connected to the commercial electric vehicle 100. This determination is made by obtaining the detection result of the connection detection unit 28. If the determination result in step S1 is negative, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 returns to step S1. That is, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 repeats the determination in step S1 until the determination result in step S1 becomes positive. When the determination result in step S1 becomes positive, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 proceeds to step S2.

[0042] In step S2, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 acquires vehicle information. Specifically, the switching control device 27 acquires vehicle information from the vehicle control device 103 and transmits the acquired vehicle information to the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40, thereby allowing the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 to acquire the vehicle information. In this way, by performing the process in step S2, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 is equipped with an acquisition unit as a functional element. Note that the charging time may also be obtained from the vehicle information acquired from the vehicle control device 103.

[0043] Next, in step S3, the commercial electric vehicle charge switching control device 40 calculates the charging time. The charging time is the predicted time required for the battery 101 to reach a specified charge rate when charged by the charger 200. In this embodiment, the specified charge rate is 100%. Here, an example of a method for calculating the charging time will be described. For example, the commercial electric vehicle charge switching control device 40 calculates the charging time from equation (2) using the target charging capacity calculated from equation (1).

[0044] Total battery capacity × (specified charge level - charge level before charging) / 100 = target charge capacity ... (1) Target charging capacity ÷ (the smaller of the battery's upper limit or the charger's rated output) = charging time ... (2) When calculating the target charging capacity in [Ah], the calculated current [A] value should be compared with the smaller of either the upper limit of battery endurance power or the rated output of the charger 200. When calculating the target charging capacity in [Wh], the calculated power [W] value should be compared with the smaller of either the upper limit of battery endurance power or the rated output of the charger 200. In this way, to perform the processing in step S3, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 is equipped with a charging time calculation unit as a functional element.

[0045] Next, in step S4, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 sets the state of the commercial electric vehicle 100 to a (charging) standby state. The state of the commercial electric vehicle 100 can be, for example, charging state, (charging) standby state, or charging complete state. The charging state is when the commercial electric vehicle 100 connected to the vehicle connection part 16 is being charged by the charger 200; in other words, the charging state is when the vehicle connection part 16 is connected to the charger connection part 12 by the switching part 25. The standby state is when the commercial electric vehicle 100 connected to the vehicle connection part 16 is not being charged by the charger 200; in other words, the standby state is when it is waiting in line to be charged. Furthermore, the charging complete state is when the battery 101 of the commercial electric vehicle 100 connected to the vehicle connection part 16 has reached a specified charge level by the charger 200.

[0046] Next, in step S5, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 determines whether the commercial electric vehicle 100 connected to the vehicle connection unit 16 can be charged by the charger 200. This determination determines whether there are no commercial electric vehicles 100 in a charging state and whether the charging order is the highest among the commercial electric vehicles 100 in a standby state. The charging order is determined by the charging order determination control described later, but if the charging order is the highest among the commercial electric vehicles 100 in a standby state, step S5 is affirmative. If the result of the determination in step S5 is negative, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 returns to step S5. That is, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 repeatedly performs the determination in step S5 until the result of the determination in step S5 is affirmative, and when the result of the determination in step S5 is affirmative, it proceeds to the process in step S6.

[0047] In step S6, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 controls the switching unit 25 to switch the vehicle connection unit 16 to which the charger 200 will be connected, and controls the switching unit 25 so that the commercial electric vehicle 100 in standby state with the highest charging priority (the state that requires the earliest charging in sequence) is connected to the charger 200. As a result, the commercial electric vehicle 100 is charged according to the determined charging order. Thus, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 includes a switching control unit as a functional element in order to perform the process in step S6.

[0048] Next, in step S7, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 commands the charger 200 to start charging. As a result, the commercial electric vehicle 100 is charged by the power output from the charger 200.

[0049] Furthermore, in step S8, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 determines whether charging is complete or not. Specifically, the determination flow is as follows: First, when the charger connection unit 12 and the vehicle connection unit 16 are connected by the switching unit 25, the charging control device 202 refers to the battery information obtained from the vehicle control device 103 and charges the battery 101. When charging of the battery 101 is complete, it notifies the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 that charging is complete. Here, completion of charging of the battery 101 means, for example, that the charge rate of the battery 101 has reached a specified charge rate. If the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 receives this notification that charging is complete, the determination result in step S8 is affirmative. If the determination result in step S8 is negative, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 returns to step S8. That is, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 repeats the determination in step S8 until the determination in step S8 is affirmative. Note that the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 may stop charging midway. If the result of step S8 is positive, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 proceeds to the process of step S9.

[0050] In step S9, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 acquires vehicle information of the commercial electric vehicle 100 that has completed charging from the vehicle information acquisition unit 29. Next, in step S10, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 calculates the amount of charge from equation (3), and the unit of the amount of charge is [Ah] or [Wh].

[0051] (Charge level after charging / 100 - Charge level when vehicle connection part 16 is connected (charge level before charging) / 100) × Total battery capacity = Amount charged this time... (3) Subsequently, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 associates the amount of charge from the current charge with vehicle-specific information and transmits it to the server 50. The server 50 adds the amount of charge from the current charge to the cumulative charge amount stored in the database 51. This updates the cumulative charge amount.

[0052] <Charging sequence determination control> The charging sequence determination control performed by the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 is a control that determines the order in which charging is performed by the charger 200 when a commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to multiple vehicle connection units 16. The commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 performs the charging sequence determination control when it detects that a commercial electric vehicle 100 has been connected to a vehicle connection unit 16. The details of the charging sequence determination control flow will be explained below with reference to Figure 4.

[0053] First, in step S21, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 sets the charging order of the commercial electric vehicle 100 connected to the vehicle connection unit 16 to the lowest position (the state where it is charged the latest). In other words, when a new commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected, the charging order of that commercial electric vehicle 100 becomes the lowest position.

[0054] Next, in step S22, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 obtains the start time of use of the commercial electric vehicle 100 connected to the vehicle connection unit 16 from the database 51. Since the database 51 registers vehicle-specific information and the start time of use in association, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 can obtain the start time of use by obtaining vehicle-specific information from the vehicle information acquisition unit 29. Thus, in order to perform the processing in step S22, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 is equipped with a start time acquisition unit as a functional element.

[0055] Next, in step S23, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 determines whether or not a change in the charging order is necessary based on the start time of use. For example, if there are multiple commercial electric vehicles 100 in a standby state, and the start time of use of the commercial electric vehicle 100 with the lowest charging order is earlier than that of the higher-ranking commercial electric vehicle 100, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 determines that a change in the charging order is necessary. This determination determines whether or not the commercial electric vehicle 100 with an earlier start time of use has a higher charging order. If the determination result in step S23 is negative, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 terminates the charging order determination control and does not change the charging order. If the determination result in step S23 is positive, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 proceeds to the process in step S24.

[0056] In step S24, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 determines whether a change in the charging order is possible. If a change in the charging order is to be made, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 moves up the charging order that was set to the lowest position in step S21. This move-up is performed on multiple commercial electric vehicles 100 that are in a standby state. That is, the change in the charging order is performed excluding commercial electric vehicles 100 that are in a charging state. The move-up of the charging order is performed in such a way that no commercial electric vehicle 100 will not have its charging completed by the start time of use. That is, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 will only change the charging order if, when the charging order is rearranged so that commercial electric vehicles 100 with earlier start times have higher charging orders, the batteries 101 of the commercial electric vehicles 100 that become lower in the order due to the rearrangement will reach the specified charge level by the start time of use. The details of the change in the charging order in step S24 will be explained in detail below.

[0057] First, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 determines whether charging can be completed based on the charging time calculated by the charging switching control and the start time of use obtained in step S22. In other words, the determination of whether charging can be completed is whether or not charging will be completed by the start time of use. The commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 determines that charging can be completed if charging will be completed by the start time of use, and determines that charging cannot be completed if charging will not be completed by the start time of use. Thus, the determination of whether charging can be completed is made by comparing the charging completion time calculated from the charging time with the start time of use. For example, when the first commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to the vehicle connection unit 16, the charging completion time is calculated by adding the charging time to the current time. Then, when a second or subsequent commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to the vehicle connection unit 16, the charging completion time is calculated by adding the charging time to the charging completion time of the previous commercial electric vehicle 100. In other words, if the charging completion time is earlier than the start time of use, charging is possible; if the charging completion time is later than the start time of use, charging is not possible.

[0058] Furthermore, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 determines that a change in the charging order is successful if a commercial electric vehicle 100 with a later start time of use than the newly connected commercial electric vehicle 100 is higher in the charging order, and the determination result for whether the commercial electric vehicle 100 that will become lower in the charging order can be charged is successful. In other words, if the commercial electric vehicle 100 that will become lower in the charging order cannot be charged, the change in the charging order is unsuccessful. To put it another way, the charging order determination unit invalidates the change in the charging order if, when the charging order is rearranged so that commercial electric vehicles 100 with earlier start times are higher in the charging order, the battery 101 does not reach the specified charge level by the start time of use of the commercial electric vehicle 100 that will become lower in the charging order. If the determination result in step S24 is negative, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 terminates the charging order determination control. In this case, the charging order is not changed. In other words, if the determination result in step S24 is positive, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 proceeds to the process in step S25.

[0059] In step S25, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 changes the charging order. Specifically, it changes the charging order by moving up the charging order of the commercial electric vehicle 100 that was set to the lowest position in step S21.

[0060] If it is not possible to change the charging order, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 may notify the user that charging will not be completed by the start time of use, or, if the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 is equipped with a display unit, it may display a notification that charging cannot be completed on the display unit.

[0061] To perform such charging sequence determination control, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 includes a charging sequence determination unit as a functional element. The commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 can execute the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control method by performing charging switching control and charging sequence determination control.

[0062] [Specific example of the first embodiment] As an example, the case in which three commercial electric vehicles 100 are sequentially connected to the vehicle connection section 16 will be explained in detail using Figure 5.

[0063] When the vehicle connection unit 16 is connected to the first commercial electric vehicle 100, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 acquires vehicle information via the vehicle information acquisition unit 29. In this case, the vehicle-specific information for the first commercial electric vehicle 100 is 11-11. At this time, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 obtains the start time of use corresponding to the vehicle-specific information by comparing it with the data stored in the database 51. In the example shown in Figure 5, the start time of use is 07:00 on January 1st. The charging completion time, obtained by adding the charging time to the current time, is 1:00 on January 1st. The switching control device 27 determines that charging is possible because the charging completion time is earlier than the start time of use. In Figure 5, "charging is possible" is indicated as "OK".

[0064] When the first commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to the vehicle connection unit 16, only the first commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to the vehicle connection unit 16, so the charging sequence for the first commercial electric vehicle 100 is "1". In this way, the charging sequence for the first commercial electric vehicle 100 is the highest among the commercial electric vehicles 100 in standby state, so the judgment result in step S5 in Figure 3 is affirmative. As a result, the vehicle connection unit 16 to which the first commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected and the charger connection unit 12 are connected by the switching unit 25. Then, in step S7 in Figure 3, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 sends a charging start command to the charging control device 202, and charging of the commercial electric vehicle 100 begins.

[0065] When the vehicle connection unit 16 is connected to the second commercial electric vehicle 100, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 acquires vehicle information via the vehicle information acquisition unit 29, just as it does for the first commercial electric vehicle 100. In this case, the vehicle-specific information for the second commercial electric vehicle 100 is 22-22. The commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 acquires the start time of use and calculates the charging completion time from the vehicle information. The charging completion time is calculated by adding the charging time of the second commercial electric vehicle 100 to the charging completion time of the first commercial electric vehicle 100. In the example shown in Figure 5, the start time of use for the second commercial electric vehicle 100 is 06:00 on January 1st, and the charging completion time is 3:00 on January 1st. Since the charging completion time is earlier than the start time of use, the switching control device 27 determines that charging is possible.

[0066] Furthermore, when the second commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to the vehicle connection section 16, the first commercial electric vehicle 100 is already being charged. Therefore, the charging sequence for the second commercial electric vehicle 100 is "2", and the result of the determination in step S5 (Figure 3) is negative. For this reason, the state of the second commercial electric vehicle 100 is standby.

[0067] When the vehicle connection unit 16 is connected to the third commercial electric vehicle 100, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 acquires vehicle information via the vehicle information acquisition unit 29, just as it did for the first commercial electric vehicle 100. The vehicle-specific information for the third commercial electric vehicle 100 is set to 33-33. At this time, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 acquires the start time of use from the vehicle information.

[0068] Note that when the third commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to the vehicle connection section 16, the first commercial electric vehicle 100 is being charged. Since the charging order of the third commercial electric vehicle 100 is the lowest, "3", the result of the judgment in step S5 (Figure 3) is negative. Therefore, the state of the third commercial electric vehicle 100 is standby.

[0069] Furthermore, since the start time of use for the third commercial electric vehicle 100 is earlier than the start time of use for the second commercial electric vehicle 100, it is determined that a change in the charging order is necessary, and the charging completion time when the charging order is changed is calculated. If the charging order for the third commercial electric vehicle 100 becomes "2", the charging completion time is calculated by adding the charging time of the third commercial electric vehicle 100 to the charging completion time of the first commercial electric vehicle 100. In the example shown in Figure 5, the start time of use for the third commercial electric vehicle 100 is 4:00 on January 1st, and the charging completion time is 3:00 on January 1st. Since the charging completion time is earlier than the start time of use, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 determines that charging is complete. Subsequently, if the charging order for the second commercial electric vehicle 100 becomes "3", the charging completion time is calculated by adding the charging time of the second commercial electric vehicle 100 to the charging completion time of the third commercial electric vehicle 100. In the example shown in Figure 5, the second commercial electric vehicle 100 has a start time of use of 6:00 on January 1st and a charging completion time of 5:00 on January 1st. Since the charging completion time is earlier than the start time of use, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 determines that charging is complete. Even if the charging order of the third commercial electric vehicle 100 is advanced, the second commercial electric vehicle 100 can still be fully charged. Therefore, the change in charging order is successful. As a result, the charging order of the third commercial electric vehicle 100 becomes "2", and the charging order of the second commercial electric vehicle 100 becomes "3".

[0070] As mentioned above, in the example of the three commercial electric vehicles 100, once the first commercial electric vehicle 100 has finished charging, the third commercial electric vehicle 100, which is the second in the charging sequence, becomes the highest priority among the waiting commercial electric vehicles 100. As a result, charging of the third commercial electric vehicle 100 begins second.

[0071] Then, once the third commercial electric vehicle 100, which is second in the charging sequence, has finished charging, the third commercial electric vehicle 100 will be in a fully charged state, and the commercial electric vehicle 100 that is third in the charging sequence, i.e., the second commercial electric vehicle 100, will be at the top of the standby line of commercial electric vehicles 100, and charging of the second commercial electric vehicle 100 will begin.

[0072] Based on the above, once the second commercial electric vehicle 100 is fully charged, the second commercial electric vehicle 100 will be considered fully charged, and all commercial electric vehicles 100 will be fully charged. Furthermore, if four or more commercial electric vehicles 100 are connected to the vehicle connection section 16, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 may advance the charging order by two or more positions.

[0073] [Effects of the First Embodiment] (1-1) The commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 rearranges the charging order so that the batteries 101 of commercial electric vehicles 100 with earlier start times are given priority for charging. In this case, the charging order is rearranged when the battery 101 of a commercial electric vehicle 100 that becomes lower in the charging order due to the rearrangement reaches the specified charge level by the start time of use. Therefore, even the commercial electric vehicle 100 that becomes lower in the order due to the rearrangement can have its battery 101 charged to the specified charge level by the start time of use. That is, in the example shown in Figure 5, the second commercial electric vehicle 100 that becomes lower in the order due to the rearrangement can also have its battery 101 charged to the specified charge level by the start time of use. In this way, all of the multiple commercial electric vehicles 100 that require charging can be fully charged by the start time of use, which is an excellent effect.

[0074] Furthermore, charging can be performed on the commercial electric vehicle 100, which is to be charged, before the start time of use, without setting a charging schedule or making a priority reservation. In this embodiment, the charging order is rearranged, but this rearrangement differs from a priority reservation in that it excludes commercial electric vehicle 100 that is already charging.

[0075] (1-2) Furthermore, by using the commercial electric vehicle charging switching device 11, multiple commercial electric vehicles 100 can be charged using one charger 200, so that all multiple commercial electric vehicles 100 can be charged to the necessary level of charge for operation by the start time of use, using fewer chargers 200.

[0076] (1-3) Furthermore, since the database 51 stores the cumulative charging capacity, users (for example, operation management companies or operators) can accurately grasp the cumulative charging amount of each of the multiple commercial electric vehicles 100 by referring to the database 51 from the user terminal 60.

[0077] (1-4) Furthermore, the greater the cumulative charge amount, the higher the frequency of use (number of runs, distance traveled) of the commercial electric vehicle 100, and the more charge-discharge cycles there are, which accelerates the degradation of the battery 101. However, the user can understand the bias in the frequency of use of the battery 101 installed in the commercial electric vehicle 100 and the degree of degradation of the battery 101 from the cumulative charge amount, which is an extremely excellent effect.

[0078] [Second Embodiment] A second embodiment of the commercial electric vehicle charging switching unit, commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device, and commercial electric vehicle charging switching device will be described with reference to Figures 6 to 8. In the second embodiment, the charging system CS has multiple commercial electric vehicle charging switching control devices 40 and commercial electric vehicle charging switching devices 11, and in the following description, only the differences from the first embodiment will be explained.

[0079] As illustrated in Figure 6, the case where the charging system CS comprises two blocks B1 and B2 will be described. In this case, each block B1 and B2 comprises a charger 200, a commercial electric vehicle charging switching device 11, and a commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40, and there is only one server 50 because it can share information between the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control devices 40. The user can charge the commercial electric vehicle 100 using either block B1 or B2.

[0080] First, we will explain the charging sequence determination control performed by the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40. As shown in Figure 7, the charging sequence determination control in the second embodiment is the same as in Figure 4, which is the first embodiment, from steps S21 to S25, so the explanation is omitted here. The processing of step S26, which is characteristic of the second embodiment, when the determination result of step S24 in Figure 4 is negative, will be explained in detail below.

[0081] In step S26, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 issues a move instruction to the commercial electric vehicle 100. A move instruction is an instruction to move to a different commercial electric vehicle charging switching device 11 from the one to which the commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected. For example, if charging is to be performed using the commercial electric vehicle charging switching device 11 in block B1, and a move instruction is issued, the commercial electric vehicle 100 will be instructed to move to the commercial electric vehicle charging switching device 11 in block B2. In this way, if the battery 101 of the commercial electric vehicle 100 that becomes lower in the chain due to the swap does not reach the specified charge level by the start time of use, the commercial electric vehicle 100 that is connected to the vehicle connection unit 16 the latest in time will be instructed to move to another commercial electric vehicle charging switching device 11. The move instruction may be displayed on the display unit of the commercial electric vehicle charging switching device 11 if the device has a display unit, or it may be displayed on the vehicle's display unit or the display of the user terminal 60. To perform the process in step S26, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 includes a movement instruction unit as a functional element.

[0082] [Specific example of the second embodiment] As an example, the case in which four commercial electric vehicles 100 are sequentially connected to the vehicle connection section 16 will be explained below.

[0083] As shown in Figure 8, the commercial electric vehicle 100 with charging sequence "1" is in a fully charged state, the commercial electric vehicle 100 with charging sequence "2" is in a charging state, and the commercial electric vehicle 100 with charging sequence "3" is in a standby state. In this state, suppose the fourth commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to the vehicle connection unit 16. The start time of use for the fourth commercial electric vehicle 100 is 5:00 on January 1st, and the start time of use for the commercial electric vehicle 100 with charging sequence "3" is 6:00 on January 1st. Therefore, the start time of use for the fourth vehicle is earlier than the start time of use for the commercial electric vehicle 100 with charging sequence 3. For this reason, a determination is made as to whether or not the change in charging sequence is successful. If the charging sequence is changed, the commercial electric vehicle 100 that becomes lower in the sequence due to the swap will not be able to complete charging. For this reason, the change in charging sequence is unsuccessful. In this example, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 issues a move instruction to the commercial electric vehicle 100 with charging sequence "4". Furthermore, this movement instruction information is also registered in the database 51 (see Figure 6) of the server 50 (see Figure 6). Therefore, the user disconnects the vehicle connection unit 16 from the commercial electric vehicle 100 using the movement instruction information in the database 51 from the user terminal 60 (see Figure 6). If the user does not follow the movement instruction information, charging will be performed on the commercial electric vehicle 100 to be moved without changing the charging order. In this example, the commercial electric vehicle 100 with vehicle-specific information 44-44 will be charged after the charging of the commercial electric vehicle 100 with vehicle-specific information 22-22 is completed.

[0084] Incidentally, the charging control device 202 shares information with the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control devices 40 via the server 50. Therefore, when issuing a movement instruction, the charging control device 202 may instruct either block B1 or B2, which allows the commercial electric vehicle 100 to be charged by the start time of use.

[0085] [Effects of the second embodiment] According to the second embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. (2-1) The commercial electric vehicle charging switching unit 10 is equipped with multiple commercial electric vehicle charging switching devices 11. Therefore, it is possible to charge more commercial electric vehicles 100 than when there is only one commercial electric vehicle charging switching device 11. As a result, it is possible to complete the charging of more commercial electric vehicles 100 by the start time of use than in the first embodiment.

[0086] (2-2) The commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 instructs the commercial electric vehicle 100 to move if the battery 101 of the commercial electric vehicle 100 that will become lower in the system after the swap does not reach the specified charge level by the start time of use. This improves the operational rate of the commercial electric vehicle 100 by ensuring that the battery 101 of the commercial electric vehicle 100 reaches the specified charge level by the start time of use, and also eliminates the need for frequent updates to the operation plan, thereby reducing the burden on the user associated with changes in the operation plan.

[0087] [Example of changes] Each embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. Each embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other to the extent that they do not contradict each other technically.

[0088] In each embodiment, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 may refrain from charging commercial electric vehicles 100 whose vehicle-specific information is not registered in the database 51. The commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 compares the vehicle-specific information acquired in step S2 of Figure 3 with the vehicle-specific information registered in the database 51. If the vehicle-specific information acquired in step S2 is not registered in the database 51, the switching unit 25 does not need to connect the vehicle connection unit 16 to which the commercial electric vehicle 100 with the vehicle-specific information is connected to the charger connection unit 12. This prevents unauthorized charging by outsiders when the commercial electric vehicle charging switching unit 10 does not have a billing system or authentication system.

[0089] In each embodiment, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 may be a web application provided by the server 50 as a cloud. In this case, the server 50 includes the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40.

[0090] In each embodiment, the charger 200 may be a multi-outlet charger. The multi-outlet charger comprises a plurality of plugs 206 and cables 203 provided corresponding to each of the plurality of plugs 206. In this case, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 comprises a plurality of charger connection parts 12, or the same number of commercial electric vehicle charging switching units 10 as the number of plugs 206.

[0091] In each embodiment, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching device 11 may be built into the charger 200. In each embodiment, the specified charge rate can be set arbitrarily. For example, the specified charge rate may be 90% or 85%. The specified charge rate can be determined based on the power consumption used by the operation of the commercial electric vehicle 100.

[0092] In the second embodiment, there may be only one commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40. In this case, one commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 controls the commercial electric vehicle charging switching devices 11 of each block B1 and B2.

[0093] A charger connection port to which a charger for charging the battery of a commercial electric vehicle is connected, A vehicle connection section to which a larger number of commercial electric vehicles are connected than the charger connection section, A charging switching method for commercial electric vehicles, comprising a switching unit that selectively switches which of the vehicle connection units the charger connection unit is connected to, The steps include acquiring vehicle-specific information of the commercial electric vehicle and battery information of the battery, The steps include obtaining the start time of use of the commercial electric vehicle connected to the vehicle connection unit from a database that associates the vehicle-specific information with the start time of use of the commercial electric vehicle, The steps include determining the charging sequence of the aforementioned commercial electric vehicle, A step of switching the switching unit so that the commercial electric vehicle is charged according to the charging sequence, A charging switching control method for commercial electric vehicles, comprising the above.

[0094] Furthermore, the step of determining the charging order includes rearranging the charging order so that the commercial electric vehicles with earlier start times are given higher priority in the charging order, A charging switching control method for commercial electric vehicles, comprising the step of switching the charging order when the battery of the commercial electric vehicle whose charging order becomes lower due to the switching of the charging order reaches the specified charge level by the start time of use. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0095] 10...Charging switching unit for commercial electric vehicles, 11...Charging switching device for commercial electric vehicles, 12...Charger connection section, 16...Vehicle connection section, 25...Switching section, 27...Switching control device, 29...Vehicle information acquisition section, 40...Charging switching control device for commercial electric vehicles, 100...Commercial electric vehicle, 101...Battery, 103...Vehicle control device, 200...Charger

Claims

1. A charging switching device for commercial electric vehicles, which is disposed between a charger and a commercial electric vehicle, The system includes a commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device, which is separate from the aforementioned commercial electric vehicle charging switching device and controls the aforementioned commercial electric vehicle charging switching device, The aforementioned charging switching device for commercial electric vehicles is, The charger connector where the charger cable is connected, Multiple vehicle connection parts, which are cable ends connected to each of the aforementioned commercial electric vehicles, It includes a switching unit that selectively switches between connecting to the charger connection unit and one of the plurality of vehicle connection units, The aforementioned charging switching control device for commercial electric vehicles is A charging sequence determination unit that associates vehicle-specific information and battery information obtained when the commercial electric vehicle is connected to the vehicle connection unit with the start time of use of the commercial electric vehicle, and determines the charging sequence of the commercial electric vehicle based on the start time of use, The system includes a switching control unit that switches the switching unit to charge the commercial electric vehicle in accordance with the charging sequence determination unit, The charging order determination unit rearranges the charging order so that commercial electric vehicles with earlier start times are given higher charging priority, and the charging order is rearranged only when a commercial electric vehicle's battery reaches a specified charge level by the start time of use, in the case of a commercial electric vehicle whose charging order has been rearranged.

2. The system includes multiple charging switching devices for commercial electric vehicles, The commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device according to claim 1, wherein when the charging order is rearranged so that commercial electric vehicles with earlier start times are given higher charging priority, if the battery of a commercial electric vehicle that becomes lower in the charging order as a result of the rearrangement does not reach a specified charge level by the start time of use of that commercial electric vehicle, the commercial electric vehicle that is connected to the vehicle connection port the latest in time is instructed to move to another commercial electric vehicle charging switching device.

3. The commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein if the vehicle-specific information acquired when the commercial electric vehicle is connected to the vehicle connection unit is not registered in the database, the switching unit of the commercial electric vehicle charging switching device prevents the connection between the vehicle connection unit to which the commercial electric vehicle is connected and the charger connection unit.

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