Method for providing soh information of electric vehicle battery by using mac address

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for providing SoH information of an electric vehicle, comprising the steps of: (a) generating user authentication information by collecting user information and a MAC address of a vehicle requesting charging; (b) receiving registration of vehicle information of the vehicle requesting charging, and connecting the MAC address of the vehicle to the registered vehicle information so as to generate vehicle authentication information; (c) subsequently collecting the MAC address of the vehicle requesting charging, comparing the collected MAC address with the MAC address of the vehicle authentication information so as to authenticate the vehicle, and then requesting a user terminal to confirm authentication of the authenticated vehicle, so as to complete the authentication through confirmation of a user; and (d) starting charging of the authenticated vehicle and providing SoH information of the charged vehicle, a plurality of unit sections being set by dividing SoC change information into predetermined SoC change value units, and an SoH value being calculated and provided on the basis of the amount of power supplied in a unit section from which the lowest supply power amount is extracted with respect to the plurality of unit sections.

Description

Method for providing SoH information for electric vehicle batteries using MAC addresses

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric vehicle charging system, and more particularly, to a method for providing SoH information of an electric vehicle using a Mac address, which collects and provides SoH information for an authenticated vehicle using the vehicle's Mac address.

[0002] Electric vehicles (EVs) utilize batteries, which are comprised of multiple rechargeable secondary cells, formed into a single pack, as their primary power source. Charging these large-capacity batteries is essential for long-distance, extended driving. An EV charging system can be defined as a system that charges the batteries installed in an EV using power from the commercial power grid or an energy storage system (ESS).

[0003] While electric vehicles have simpler components and structures than internal combustion engine vehicles, the battery accounts for the largest component in pure electric vehicles. Battery management is a crucial aspect of electric vehicle maintenance, and a key element used in battery management is information on the State of Health (SoH). The SoH value is used as an indicator of battery performance and lifespan, and the SoH value represents the current battery performance as a percentage of the initial performance. When the SoH value (i.e., the battery's charging capacity) drops below 70%, the battery is replaced to prevent operational issues.

[0004] Typically, SoH information is calculated by comparing the current charge capacity, assessed by each manufacturer based on their own criteria, with the initial reference capacity within the vehicle's Battery Management System (BMS). Because SoH information provided by manufacturers is not measured or evaluated in real time, it can be inaccurate. Accurate SoH measurement requires the inconvenience of visiting separate equipment or facilities, and more accurate measurement and evaluation of SoH values ​​are necessary to ensure efficient charging and safe operation of electric vehicles.

[0005] Electric vehicles' SoH characteristics vary not only across different models, but even within the same model, depending on factors such as the user's driving habits, the vehicle's operating environment, and battery maintenance status. Therefore, SoH information needs to be collected, evaluated, and provided individually for each vehicle.

[0006] Meanwhile, in the electric vehicle charging system, when an electric vehicle is connected to a charger, it goes through a certain authentication process before charging begins. The international standards organization ISO / IEC stipulates two authentication methods: the PnC method, which automatically completes authentication and payment approval using a contract certificate stored in the electric vehicle, and the method, which uses external identification means (EIM) such as credit cards, debit cards, and smartphone apps for identification, authentication, and payment.

[0007] The PnC method is a plug-and-charge method that allows user authentication and charging by simply plugging in a plug between an electric vehicle and a charger (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment: EVSE), and does not require a separate authentication process.

[0008] Additionally, PnC charging requires a contract certificate stored in the electric vehicle. However, existing electric vehicles do not come equipped with this certificate, making PnC charging inaccessible. To address this issue, methods are being utilized that authenticate users using the electric vehicle's MAC address to enable PnC charging.

[0009] While PnC charging can identify users when their electric vehicles connect to a charger, it cannot identify the vehicles themselves, limiting its ability to provide diverse information about the vehicle's battery. In particular, with the recent increase in users owning multiple electric vehicles, there is a need to identify not only the users but also each vehicle owned by each user, providing diverse information, including SoH information for the vehicle's battery.

[0010] The present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems, and its task is to identify a vehicle and provide SoH information of a battery by cumulatively collecting and managing it on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis.

[0011] In addition, the present invention aims to provide SoH information by easily identifying a vehicle using the MAC address of the electric vehicle.

[0012] In addition, the present invention aims to provide real-time SoH information for each vehicle to owners who own multiple electric vehicles.

[0013] The SoH information providing method of the present embodiment for solving the above-described problem is performed by an operation server forming a network with a charger and a user terminal, and includes the steps of (a) collecting user information and a Mac address of a vehicle requesting charging to generate user authentication information, (b) registering vehicle information of the vehicle requesting charging and linking the Mac address of the corresponding vehicle to the registered vehicle information to generate vehicle authentication information, (c) thereafter collecting the Mac address of the vehicle requesting charging, comparing the collected Mac address with the Mac address of the vehicle authentication information to authenticate the vehicle, and requesting authentication confirmation from the user terminal for the authenticated vehicle to complete authentication through user confirmation, and (d) starting charging for the vehicle for which authentication has been completed and providing SoH information of the vehicle for which charging has been completed, wherein the SoH value is calculated based on the amount of power supplied in the unit section in which SoC change information is divided into predetermined SoC change value units and the lowest amount of power supplied is extracted for the plurality of unit sections, and providing the calculated SoH value.

[0014] In addition, the step (b) above registers information about each vehicle for a number of user vehicles and connects the MAC address of the vehicle to generate authentication information for each vehicle.

[0015] Additionally, the Mac addresses of the above steps (a) and (c) are collected using PLC when connecting the charging gun.

[0016] The present invention can improve the convenience of utilizing SoH information by identifying not only users but also vehicles and cumulatively collecting and managing SoH information of batteries on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis.

[0017] In addition, the present invention has the effect of easily identifying the vehicle by using the MAC address of the electric vehicle, thereby eliminating the need for a separate authentication means for vehicle identification.

[0018] In addition, the present invention can improve the accuracy of the provided SoH information by directly calculating and providing SoH information based on information collected in real time during charging.

[0019] Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a charging system according to the present embodiment;

[0020] Figure 2 is a flowchart showing the SoH information provision process according to the present embodiment.

[0021] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the Mac address registration process according to the present embodiment.

[0022] Figure 4 is an example diagram showing an app screen of a process for guiding a vehicle and Mac address connection according to this embodiment.

[0023] Figure 5 is an example diagram showing an app screen displaying a registered user vehicle according to the present embodiment.

[0024] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the Mac address acquisition and user authentication process according to this embodiment.

[0025] Figure 7 is an example diagram showing an app screen of a user verification process according to this embodiment.

[0026] Fig. 8 is an example diagram showing an app screen that provides SoH information according to the present embodiment.

[0027] The technical objectives achieved by the present invention and its implementation will be made clear by the preferred embodiments described below. The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be examined in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] It should be understood that the differences between the embodiments described below are not mutually exclusive. That is, it should be understood that specific shapes, structures, and characteristics described in one embodiment may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and that the positions or arrangements of individual components within each disclosed embodiment may be changed, and that similar reference numerals in the drawings indicate the same or similar functions throughout.

[0029] Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a charging system according to the present embodiment.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 1, the electric vehicle charging system of the present embodiment includes a charger (10), an electric vehicle (20) that is connected to the charger (10) to receive power, an operation server (30) that controls the power supply of the charger (10), and a user terminal (40) that uses the charging service through an app.

[0031] The charger (10) functions as a dispenser that detects the connection of an electric vehicle (30) and supplies charging power to the electric vehicle (30), and can supply power using power from a system power source (e.g., power grid) or an energy storage device (e.g., power bank). The charger (10) is equipped with a control module (not shown) that supplies power of the capacity required by the electric vehicle (20).

[0032] The charger (10) proceeds with charging when a charging request is received from the operating server (30). When user information is entered, it requests user authentication from the operating server (30), and when the user is authenticated, it proceeds with charging. User information can be entered by means such as RFID, NFC, or member number input.

[0033] When an electric vehicle (20) is connected, the charger (10) communicates with the electric vehicle (20) using a PLC (Power Line Communication) method using a charging cable (11) and collects various types of information from the electric vehicle.

[0034] For example, the charger (10) collects the Mac address of the electric vehicle. The electric vehicle (20) is equipped with a PLC-type communication module (EVCC: Electric Vehicle Communication Controller) for communication with the charger (10), and the EVCC has a unique Mac address (Media Access Control Address). The Mac address refers to an address used to distinguish each device on a network, and since it is a unique number for the device, unlike the IP address, it does not change unless the device or network components are replaced. The charger (10) collects the Mac address of the electric vehicle, i.e., the EVCC, when the electric vehicle (20) is connected via the charging gun, and transmits the collected Mac address to the operation server (30).

[0035] As another example, the charger (10) collects charging information, such as charging power information, SoC information, and SoH information, for an electric vehicle (20) being charged via PLC communication. The charger (10) transmits the collected charging information to the operation server (30).

[0036] An electric vehicle (20) connects to a charger (10) and stores the power supplied in a battery. When the charging terminal of the charger (10) is connected, the electric vehicle (20) reports its MAC address and reports charging information in real time while charging is in progress.

[0037] The operation server (30) is configured to operate and manage the electric vehicle charging system, and a predetermined program for system operation is run in the form of a web application.

[0038] The operating server (30) stores and manages user information and vehicle information transmitted from a charger (10) or user terminal (40). At this time, when the MAC address of an electric vehicle is transmitted from the charger, the operating server (30) matches the user and the corresponding vehicle using the MAC address and stores and manages the same. For this purpose, the operating server (30) is equipped with a database management unit (31) that manages the Mac address, user information, and vehicle information by organizing them into a database.

[0039] When there is a charger use request, user authentication request, or vehicle authentication request from a charger (10) or user terminal (40), the operation server (30) performs authentication corresponding to each request and then returns the result.

[0040] The operation server (30) calculates the SoH of a specific electric vehicle (20) based on the charging information transmitted from the charger (10) and provides it to the user terminal (40). The operation server (30) may transmit the SoH of the vehicle transmitted from the charger (10) to the user terminal (40), but may directly calculate an accurate SoH based on the SoC change information of the vehicle transmitted from the charger (10) and the corresponding power metering value information and transmit it to the user terminal (40).

[0041] The user terminal (40) is configured to request use of a charger or register the user's vehicle through an app, and a predetermined program for using the charging service is executed in the form of an application. The user terminal (40) may be a portable smart phone capable of executing an application. The user terminal (40) transmits charging request information, vehicle registration information, etc. entered by the user to the operating server (30), and provides the vehicle's SoH information provided by the operating server (30) to the user.

[0042] Figure 2 is a flowchart showing the SoH information provision process according to the present embodiment.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 2, the SoH information provision process of the present embodiment includes a user authentication step (S101), a vehicle Mac address collection step (S102), a user authentication information generation step (S103), a user vehicle registration step (S104), a vehicle authentication step (S201), a user verification step (S202), an SoH information collection step (S203), and an SoH information provision step (S204).

[0044] Specifically, the user authentication step (S101) is a process of verifying and registering a user requesting charging. For example, a user may be registered when requesting use of a charger (10) by executing an app on a user terminal (40), or may be registered using a card with an RFID or NFC function carried by the user, or may be registered by directly entering a password through the charger (10) after registering as a member through a website. When a user is registered through the charger (10), the charger (10) transmits the user registration information to the operation server (30) so that it can be managed. This user authentication may be performed during the initial charging request process, and after user authentication is completed, PnC charging may be performed without a separate user authentication procedure.

[0045] The vehicle Mac address collection step (S102) is a process of collecting the Mac address of the electric vehicle (20) that connects to the charger (10) for the first charging. The charger (10) collects the Mac address when the charging gun is connected to the electric vehicle (20) for charging after user authentication. The charger (10) transmits the collected Mac address to the operation server (30) so that it can be used as information for user authentication and vehicle authentication during subsequent charging. At this time, if user information is registered through the charger (10), the charger (10) transmits the collected Mac information together with the user registration information to the operation server (30).

[0046] The user authentication information generation step (S103) is a process in which the operating server (30) matches the Mac address received from the charger (10) with the user information to generate new authentication information that includes the vehicle's Mac address. Thereafter, when the user views the user information through the app, the vehicle's Mac information is also provided.

[0047] The user vehicle registration step (S104) is a process in which a user registers a vehicle owned by the user through an app on the user terminal (40) and generates vehicle authentication information. The operating server (30) provides information on publicly available vehicles through the app, and the user selects and registers their vehicle model using the app's vehicle registration menu, then associates the registered vehicle with a MAC address. Therefore, the authentication information for a registered vehicle includes not only vehicle information but also the vehicle's MAC address and user information.

[0048] Through the above-described series of processes, vehicle authentication information is registered and managed by matching the MAC address, user information, and vehicle information owned by the user. Afterwards, the MAC address collected upon charging request is used to authenticate the user and vehicle. Real-time SoH information is collected for the authenticated vehicle and provided to the user.

[0049] The vehicle authentication step (S201) is a process of verifying and authenticating whether the vehicle requesting charging is a registered vehicle during the subsequent charging process. The charger (10) collects the Mac address of the vehicle requesting charging and requests vehicle authentication from the operation server (30). The operation server (30) compares the received Mac address with the Mac address of the DB management unit (31). If a user and vehicle with matching Mac addresses are found, the operation server (30) verifies that the vehicle is a registered vehicle. If the operation server (30) does not find a user and vehicle with matching Mac addresses, the vehicle may be determined to be an unregistered vehicle and may reply with a message guiding vehicle registration.

[0050] The user verification step (S202) further verifies whether the authenticated vehicle is the one registered by the user. In some developing countries, it's common for MAC addresses to be used without official authorization. Furthermore, MAC addresses can be transferred or duplicated through used car sales, parts exchanges, or reuse at service centers. Therefore, even after a vehicle is authenticated, charging does not begin immediately. Instead, the user must directly confirm the charging request.

[0051] When a vehicle matching the received Mac address is confirmed, the operating server (30) requests user verification through the app on the user terminal (40). If the user confirms, the operating server sends the final vehicle authentication information back to the charger (10) to enable charging. When vehicle authentication is confirmed, the charger (10) supplies charging power to the electric vehicle (20) to initiate charging.

[0052] The SoH information collection step (S203) is a process for collecting SoH information of the vehicle battery after charging is complete. The operating server (30) can collect SoH information by receiving SoH information of the vehicle from the charger (10) or directly calculating SoH information by receiving SoC change information and power measurement values ​​from the charger (10).

[0053] The SoH information provision step (S204) provides the collected SoH information to the user terminal (40). The user can check real-time SoH information for each vehicle through the app on the user terminal (40) and plan to operate the vehicle efficiently.

[0054] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a Mac address registration process according to this embodiment, FIG. 4 is an example diagram showing an app screen for a process of guiding a vehicle and a Mac address connection according to this embodiment, FIG. 5 is an example diagram showing an app screen for displaying a registered user vehicle according to this embodiment, FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a Mac address acquisition and user authentication process according to this embodiment, FIG. 7 is an example diagram showing an app screen for a user confirmation process according to this embodiment, and FIG. 8 is an example diagram showing an app screen for providing SoH information according to this embodiment.

[0055] The process of generating vehicle authentication information with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5 and the process of providing SoH information to an authenticated vehicle during charging with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8 will be examined in detail.

[0056] First, looking at the process of generating vehicle authentication information, as illustrated in FIG. 3, upon initial charging, the user authenticates themselves using an app on the user terminal (40) (①, S11-S14), or authenticates themselves by tagging a card directly on the charger or entering a password (②, S15-S17). At this time, when requesting charging after authenticating the user using the app, the unique number of the charger (10) to be charged is also entered.

[0057] When user authentication is completed, the user connects the charging gun to the electric vehicle (20) to start charging (S18), and the charger (10) collects the Mac address of the electric vehicle (20) through PLC communication when the charging gun is connected (S19). Next, the charger (10) transmits the collected Mac address to the operation server (30) to request registration (S20), and the operation server (30) matches the Mac address to user information and registers and manages it in the DB management unit (31). At this time, if the user owns multiple vehicles, the process of collecting the Mac address for each vehicle and matching it to user information is performed.

[0058] Once the registration of the MAC address for the user's vehicle is complete, the user runs the app on the user terminal (40) to register the vehicle they own and associates the MAC address of each registered vehicle with it to generate vehicle authentication information (S22). If the user owns multiple vehicles, registration and MAC address association are performed for each vehicle.

[0059] The process of registering a vehicle and linking a MAC address can be performed through an app on a user terminal (40). The operating server (30) provides vehicle information through the app, and the vehicle information is pre-stored in the database management unit (31) through manual input, a public data portal API, a zero-emission vehicle website API, etc. The vehicle information includes information such as the manufacturer, vehicle type, vehicle model name, and initial battery capacity.

[0060] As illustrated in FIG. 4, a user selects and registers their vehicle model using the app's vehicle registration menu, then associates the registered vehicle with a MAC address. If the user owns multiple vehicles, they register each vehicle and associate each vehicle's MAC address with its own. When a user selects a vehicle model, the operating server (30) displays one or more collected MAC information items. Since it can be difficult for users to distinguish between different MAC information items, it is preferable to display the information along with information that allows the user to easily distinguish between vehicles, such as the vehicle registration date.

[0061] After registering a vehicle, as shown in Fig. 5, the user can check the registered vehicle through the app screen of the user terminal (40), and if the user owns multiple vehicles, each vehicle is provided with a Mac address.

[0062] Through this process, vehicle authentication information is created by matching the Mac address, user information, and vehicle information. Afterwards, when requesting charging, user authentication and vehicle authentication are performed using the Mac address, and SoH information for the vehicle can also be provided.

[0063] And, looking at the process of providing SoH information, as shown in FIG. 6, when a registered vehicle is connected to a charging point for subsequent charging (S31), the charger (10) collects the Mac address of the electric vehicle (20) (S32) and requests vehicle authentication while transmitting the Mac address to the operation server (30) (S33). The operation server (30) compares the transmitted Mac address with the Mac address stored in the DB management unit (31) to check if there is a matching user and vehicle (S34), and if there is a matching user and vehicle, requests additional verification from the user (S35).

[0064] When the operation server (30) receives confirmation from the user (S36), it replies with authentication completion information to the charger (10) (S37), and the charger (10) supplies power to the electric vehicle (20) to proceed with charging (S38). That is, as illustrated in FIG. 7, when the user is requested to send a push-up message for vehicle authentication through the app, the user clicks a button to reply with the fact that authentication has been confirmed, and can receive charging progress information through the app screen during charging.

[0065] When charging begins, the operating server (30) collects SoH information of the vehicle being charged and provides it to the user terminal (40) (S39-S44). The SoH information can be collected by receiving SoH information from the charger (10) or receiving SoC change information and power measurement values ​​from the charger (10) and calculating SoH based on this.

[0066] According to one embodiment, a method for receiving SoH information from a charger (10) comprises a process in which the charger (10) receives SoH information from a BMS of an electric vehicle (20) after charging is completed, and transmits the reported SoH information to an operation server (30) (①, S39, S40). The operation server (30) transmits the SoH information received from the charger (10) to a user terminal (40) (S44).

[0067] According to another embodiment, a method in which the operating server (30) directly calculates SoH information is performed in such a manner that the charger (10) receives SoC change information from the BMS of the electric vehicle (20) during charging and transmits it together with the power measurement value (S41, S42), and the operating server (30) calculates SoH information (S43) based on the transmitted information (②). The SoC value is information indicating the state of charge (State Of Charge) of the battery, and refers to the degree of capacity (energy) currently charged in the battery, and is usually expressed as a percentage.

[0068] Specifically, the charger (10) transmits information on the SoC value changing in a predetermined unit and the power measurement value extracted according to the change to the operation server (30). The operation server (30) sets a plurality of unit sections that divide the SoC change information into predetermined SoC change value units, extracts the amount of power supplied in a specific unit section or the amount of power supplied on average for a plurality of unit sections, and then calculates SoH by the formula SoH = 100 ((100 / S) * P) / F. Here, S is the SoC change value (%) in the unit section, P is the amount of power supplied in the unit section (kWh), and F is the initial battery capacity (kWh) when the vehicle is released.

[0069] At this time, it is preferable to select the amount of power supplied in the unit section from which the lowest value is extracted for a number of unit sections as the amount of power supplied (P). This is because some of the power supplied from the charger (10) to the electric vehicle (20) is stored in the battery and used in real time to maintain the battery temperature or for air conditioning of the vehicle, and is ultimately not included in the charging power stored in the battery. Therefore, the power supplied in the unit section indicating the lowest amount of power supplied can be regarded as the power used to actually charge the battery at the highest rate, so that a more accurate SoH value can be calculated. The SoH information calculated through the above process is transmitted to the user terminal (40) and provided to the user (S44).

[0070] And the charger (10) ends charging when charging to an arbitrary capacity is completed (S45).

[0071] Meanwhile, the operation server (30) collects and manages SoH information on the vehicle cumulatively, and provides SoH, i.e., battery aging information that changes over time as shown in FIG. 8, to the user through an app, thereby enabling the user to utilize the information for determining the timing of battery replacement or planning vehicle operation.

[0072] While exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described above, various modifications and alternative embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. All such modifications and alternative embodiments are contemplated and encompassed by the appended claims, and are intended to remain within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. It is performed by an operating server that forms a network with the charger and user terminal. (a) A step of generating user authentication information by collecting user information and Mac address of a vehicle requesting charging; (b) a step of registering vehicle information of the vehicle requesting charging and generating vehicle authentication information by linking the Mac address of the vehicle to the registered vehicle information; (c) a step of collecting the Mac address of the vehicle requesting charging thereafter, comparing the collected Mac address with the Mac address of the vehicle authentication information to authenticate the vehicle, and requesting authentication confirmation to the user terminal for the authenticated vehicle and completing authentication through the user's confirmation; and (d) A method for providing SoH information of an electric vehicle battery, comprising: a step of starting charging for a vehicle for which authentication has been completed, and providing SoH information of a vehicle for which charging has been completed, wherein the SoH value is calculated based on the amount of power supplied in a unit section from which the lowest amount of power supplied is extracted for each of the unit sections by setting a plurality of unit sections that divide SoC change information into predetermined SoC change value units; 2. In paragraph 1, The step (b) above is a method for providing SoH information for an electric vehicle battery, which registers information on each vehicle for a number of user vehicles and connects the Mac address of the vehicle to generate authentication information for each vehicle.

3. In paragraph 1, A method for providing SoH information of an electric vehicle battery, wherein the Mac address of the above steps (a) and (c) is collected using a PLC when a charging point is connected.

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