Vehicle charging device

Abstract

An electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a communication unit for communicating with a first electric vehicle communication controller (EVCC) of a first vehicle entering a charging station; and a control unit for providing the first vehicle with vehicle charging information received from a second EVCC of a second vehicle currently being charged in the charging station.

Description

vehicle charging device

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle charging device.

[0002] Eco-friendly vehicles such as electric vehicles (EVs) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) use electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) installed at charging stations to charge their batteries.

[0003] Several standards are actively being developed to facilitate interaction between electric vehicles and EVSE. These standards for electric vehicle charging can be broadly categorized into charging systems, charging interfaces, and communication protocols.

[0004] However, since different regulations are adopted by each country or automobile company, the charging devices, battery packs, and battery management systems (BMS) of electric vehicles must be developed and designed according to the regulations.

[0005] To enhance the convenience of drivers of eco-friendly vehicles such as electric vehicles, various technologies are needed to shorten electric charging times and improve the environment of charging stations, including electric vehicle chargers.

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a vehicle charging device.

[0007] In order to solve the above technical problem, an EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a communication unit that communicates with a first EVCC (Electric Vehicle Communication Controller) of a first vehicle entering a charging station; and a control unit that provides vehicle charging information received from a second EVCC of a second vehicle charging at the charging station to the first vehicle.

[0008] The control unit receives vehicle charging information from the second vehicle being charged at the charging station and a plurality of other vehicles, and provides information on charging stations that can be charged, and the communication unit can amplify information on charging stations that can be charged within the charging station.

[0009] The above control unit can calculate the charging waiting time for each vehicle zone based on information about the number of vehicles being charged for each zone of the charging station, the number of vehicles waiting to be charged, the charging progress status, and the charging type.

[0010] The above control unit can provide charging station guidance information so that the user can wait at a charging station with a short calculated charging waiting time.

[0011] According to these embodiments, the entire charging process, including entering, moving, charging status, and exiting the charging area of ​​a vehicle charging station, can be monitored.

[0012] Additionally, EVSE can communicate directly with other vehicles, improving reliability and increasing convenience for drivers visiting charging stations.

[0013] Fig. 1 illustrates a vehicle charging device according to the present embodiment.

[0014] Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a vehicle charging device according to the present embodiment.

[0015] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are drawings for explaining a vehicle charging device according to the present embodiment.

[0016] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0017] However, the technical idea of ​​the present invention is not limited to some of the embodiments described, but can be implemented in various different forms, and within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention, one or more of the components between the embodiments can be selectively combined or substituted for use.

[0018] In addition, terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this embodiment may be interpreted as having a meaning that can be generally understood by a person of ordinary skill in the technical field to which this embodiment belongs, unless explicitly and specifically defined and described, and terms that are commonly used, such as terms defined in a dictionary, may be interpreted in consideration of the contextual meaning of the relevant technology.

[0019] Additionally, the terms used in this embodiment are for the purpose of describing the embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0020] In this specification, the singular may also include the plural unless specifically stated otherwise in the phrase, and when it is described as “A and / or at least one (or more) of B, C”, it may include one or more of all combinations that can be combined with A, B, C.

[0021] Additionally, in describing the components of this embodiment, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used. These terms are only intended to distinguish the components from other components, and are not intended to limit the nature, order, or sequence of the components.

[0022] And, when a component is described as being 'connected', 'coupled', or 'connected' to another component, it may include not only cases where the component is 'connected', 'coupled', or 'connected' directly to the other component, but also cases where the component is 'connected', 'coupled', or 'connected' by another component between the component and the other component.

[0023] Additionally, when described as being formed or arranged "above" or "below" each component, "above" or "below" includes not only cases where the two components are in direct contact with each other, but also cases where one or more other components are formed or arranged between the two components. Furthermore, when expressed as "above" or "below," the meaning may include not only the upward direction but also the downward direction based on one component.

[0024]

[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle charging device according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a vehicle charging device according to the present embodiment, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are drawings for explaining a vehicle charging device according to the present embodiment.

[0026] A charging system including an electric vehicle according to the present embodiment may include a vehicle (10) and an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) 200. The vehicle (10) is an electric vehicle (EV) and may be charged from the EVSE (200). In order for the vehicle (10) to receive charging power from the EVSE (200), a charging cable connected to the EVSE (200) may be connected to an inlet of the vehicle (10).

[0027] The EVSE (200) is a device that supplies AC or DC and can be placed at a charging station or placed in a home. The EVSE (200) is not limited to a location and can also be implemented to be portable. In this specification, the EVSE (200) can be used interchangeably with a charging station (Supply), an AC charging station (AC supply), a DC charging station (DC supply), a socket-outlet, etc. The EVCC (Electric Vehicle Communication Controller) is a component included in the vehicle (10) and can be connected to an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) in the vehicle (10). The EVCC can perform charging signals and control the amount of charging power in the vehicle. The EVCC can communicate with the battery management unit of the vehicle (10). The EVCC can be connected to the battery management unit by wire or wirelessly.

[0028] The Battery Management System (BMS) can monitor the temperature of the vehicle battery. It monitors the voltage, current, and temperature of the vehicle battery to maintain it in optimal condition. The BMS can transmit information about the vehicle battery's charge level, charging speed, and battery information to the EVCC. The BMS can also transmit the vehicle battery's temperature to the EVCC.

[0029] A vehicle battery is designed to power the vehicle motor and can be installed within an electric vehicle. The vehicle is an electric vehicle (EV), and the battery can be charged from an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE).

[0030] When a user carries the charging gun (210) by hand and charges the charging connector of the charging gun (210) into the inlet (21) provided in the vehicle (10), power supplied from the EVSE (200) is supplied to the vehicle (10) through the charging cable and the charging gun (210), thereby charging the battery of the vehicle (10).

[0031]

[0032] The EVSE (200) according to the present embodiment may include a communication unit and a control unit.

[0033] A vehicle charging station may include multiple EVSEs. The multiple EVSEs may be spaced apart within the vehicle charging station. The communication units of the multiple EVSEs may communicate with each other. Any one of the multiple EVSEs may collect information about all EVSEs and transmit information, such as charging standby time, to the remaining EVSEs. Each of the multiple EVSEs may collect information about a vehicle currently being charged. Any one of the multiple EVSEs may transmit a vehicle charging information signal to a vehicle entering the charging station. Hereinafter, a vehicle newly entering the charging station may be referred to as the first vehicle, and a vehicle already charging at the charging station may be referred to as the second vehicle.

[0034] The communication unit can communicate with the first EVCC (110) of the first vehicle entering the charging station. The communication unit can communicate with the EVCC of another vehicle charging at the charging station. The communication unit can communicate with the server controlling the charging station. The communication unit can communicate with the driver's terminal in the first or second vehicle.

[0035] The control unit can provide vehicle charging information received from the second EVCC (120) of the second vehicle charging at the charging station to the first vehicle. The control unit can control the communication unit to amplify an information signal about available charging stations within the charging station. The communication unit can amplify the vehicle charging information signal of the charging station through the antenna of the WLAN module. The EVSE (200) can transmit information about the vehicle being charged to a vehicle waiting to be charged through the WIFI facility installed within the charging station.

[0036] The control unit can calculate the charging wait time for each vehicle zone based on information about the number of vehicles charging in each zone of the charging station, the number of vehicles waiting to charge, the charging progress status, and the charging type. Charging stations can be divided into charging zones based on charging standards, slow charging, and fast charging.

[0037] Drivers of vehicles receiving amplified information signals about charging stations from the communication unit can select a charging station with a shorter waiting time and wait for charging. The control unit can provide charging station guidance information to enable drivers to wait for charging at a charging station with a shorter calculated waiting time. The control unit can also provide route information to enable drivers to wait for charging at a charging station with a shorter calculated waiting time.

[0038] According to this embodiment, the entire charging process, including entering, moving, charging status, and exiting the charging area of ​​a vehicle charging station, can be monitored. Furthermore, the EVSE can communicate directly with other vehicles, improving reliability and enhancing convenience for drivers visiting the charging station to recharge.

[0039]

[0040] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be implemented in modified forms without departing from the essential characteristics of the above-described description. Therefore, the disclosed methods should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. The scope of the present invention is set forth in the claims, not the foregoing description, and all differences within the scope equivalent thereto should be construed as being encompassed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A communication unit that communicates with the first EVCC (Electric Vehicle Communication Controller) of the first vehicle entering the charging station; and An EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) including a control unit that provides vehicle charging information received from a second EVCC of a second vehicle being charged at the charging station to the first vehicle.

2. In paragraph 1, The control unit receives vehicle charging information from the second vehicle being charged at the charging station and a plurality of other vehicles, and provides information on charging stations that can be charged. The above communication unit is an EVSE that amplifies information about the charging station capable of charging within the charging station.

3. In paragraph 1, The above control unit is an EVSE that calculates the charging waiting time for each vehicle zone based on information about the number of vehicles being charged for each zone of the charging station, the number of vehicles waiting to be charged, the charging progress status, and the charging type.

4. In paragraph 3, The above control unit is an EVSE that provides charging station guidance information so that the user can wait at a charging station with a shorter calculated charging waiting time.

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