Device and method to prevent theft of charging connector for electric vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device and a method for preventing theft of an electric vehicle charging connector, wherein, when both a temperature change rate of a DC+ line and a temperature change rate of a DC− line, obtained from temperature sensors of the DC+ line and the DC− line that are basically provided in a charging cable and a charging connector, rapidly change, the device determines that the charging connector has been stolen as a result of disconnection of the charging cable and generates an alarm externally.

Description

Anti-theft device and method for electric vehicle charging connector

[0001] This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0161311 filed on November 13, 2024, and all contents disclosed in the specification and drawings of said application are incorporated into this application.

[0002] The present invention relates to charging technology for electric vehicles, and more specifically, to a device and method for preventing the theft of a charging connector for electric vehicles.

[0003] With economic development, the demand for automobiles is showing explosive growth. As this demand increases, exhaust gases emitted from vehicles are becoming a major cause of environmental pollution.

[0004] Therefore, there are demands to reduce automobile emissions, and the industry is developing vehicles capable of reducing emissions. Furthermore, the commercialization of zero-emission electric vehicles is being partially attempted.

[0005] An electric vehicle refers to a vehicle that operates using electricity as a power source. It is an electric vehicle equipped with a rechargeable battery as a power supply and operates using the electricity supplied from the installed battery. An electric vehicle consists of an electric motor driven by electricity to operate the vehicle, and a battery that supplies electricity to the electric motor.

[0006] Electric vehicle batteries take a long time to charge and have a limited driving range on a single charge. Therefore, since electric vehicles must be charged frequently to achieve their intended driving range, the installation of charging stations and charging devices are very important issues in the operation of electric vehicles.

[0007] A typical electric vehicle charging device consists of a charger body and a charging cable connected to it. The charger body is protected by an outer casing, and the charging cable is located outside the charger body. Since the charging cable and connector of such a device are made of copper, there is a risk of theft in the absence of a charger manager.

[0008] Therefore, various technologies are being developed to prevent the theft of electric vehicle charging cables or charging connectors.

[0009] First, Patent Document 1 (Korean Published Patent Application No. 10-1180956) discloses a charger anti-theft device for an electric vehicle that performs charging by coupling a charger connected to an external power source to a connector provided in the electric vehicle, comprising: a first signal generator that receives a separation intention through a switch provided in the charger and generates a separation signal; a second signal generator (e.g., a smart key) that can be carried by a person authorized to operate the electric vehicle and generates a location signal; a control unit that generates an operation signal for separating the charger when both the separation signal of the first signal generator and the location signal of the second signal generator are received; and an actuator that separates the charger from the connector upon receiving the operation signal from the control unit. That is, Patent Document 1 prevents the theft of the charger by allowing the charger to be separated from the connector only when the owner of the vehicle or a person authorized to operate the vehicle is near the vehicle.

[0010] Patent Document 2 (Korean Published Patent Application No. 10-2017-0054764) discloses a connector anti-theft device in which an infrared sensor, etc., is attached to a connector storage unit that stores a charging connector installed in a charger to detect whether the connector has become detached, and when user information and charging request information are input through an input unit, the infrared sensor, etc., for detecting whether the connector has become detached is not activated, and when user information and charging request information are not input through the input unit, the infrared sensor, etc., is activated to detect whether the connector has become detached. That is, when a detachment signal detecting the detachment of the connector is generated from the infrared sensor of the connector storage unit while the electric vehicle is not being charged (when user information and charging request information are not input), a warning sound is generated.

[0011] Patent Document 3 (Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-1384613) discloses an electric vehicle charging device comprising a charger body that supplies power to an electric vehicle through a charging cable, a storage box for storing a charging cable installed on the left or right side of the charger body, and a locking device installed for opening and closing the door of the storage box. That is, Patent Document 3 prevents the theft of the charging connector by installing a locking device so that only an authenticated user can open the door of the storage box.

[0012] Patent Document 4 (Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-2544115) discloses an inlet control device for an electric vehicle that allows the connector of a charging cable connected to the inlet of an electric vehicle to be detached only when a legitimate user is adjacent to the electric vehicle using a detachment control device (e.g., a smart key), regardless of whether one end of the charging cable connected to the power source is detached, and prohibits the detachment of the connector of the charging cable connected to the inlet of the electric vehicle when the user using the detachment control device moves away from the electric vehicle.

[0013] The above patent documents 2 and 3 prevent the theft of charging cables or charging connectors by installing an infrared sensor or a locking device in a storage box where charging cables or charging connectors are stored, and the above patent documents 1 and 4 prevent the theft of charging connectors by allowing the removal of a charging connector connected to the inlet of an electric vehicle only when a legitimate user is adjacent to the electric vehicle, such as when a signal is received from a smart key held by the user.

[0014] The above patent documents 2 and 3 require the installation of a separate hardware component (infrared sensor or locking device) on the charger body to prevent theft of the charging connector, and the above patent documents 1 and 4 require the storage of user information on the charger body to authenticate a legitimate user through communication with a smart key.

[0015] Therefore, a new anti-theft device or method for a charging connector is required that does not involve hardware additions or changes such as additional parts or devices, does not involve communication with external information and communication terminals such as smart keys or smartphones, and does not require procedures or information for the authentication of a legitimate user.

[0016] In other words, a new technology is needed to prevent the theft of electric vehicle charging connectors by utilizing the existing hardware charging infrastructure without the addition of separate hardware devices to the charger body, charging cable, and charging connector.

[0017] The inventors have determined that most theft incidents involving electric vehicle charging connectors occur through the cutting of charging cables by third parties. Therefore, managers of charging infrastructure, such as charging devices, can detect the theft of charging connectors in advance by detecting disconnections, such as the cutting of charging cables, beforehand.

[0018] Accordingly, the present invention has as its first technical objective the detection of theft of an electric vehicle charging connector by detecting a disconnection caused by cutting the charging cable.

[0019] In addition, the present invention has a second technical objective of detecting whether a charging connector has been stolen due to a disconnection of the charging cable by software using a temperature sensor embedded in the charging connector and / or charging cable for electric vehicles.

[0020] Other objects and advantages of the present invention may be understood from the following description and will become more clearly apparent from the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, it will be readily apparent that the objects and advantages of the present invention can be realized by the means and combinations thereof set forth in the claims.

[0021] An anti-theft device for a charging connector for an electric vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above-described technical problem comprises: a charging cable including a DC+ line and a DC- line to supply a charging current from a charging device to a battery of an electric vehicle; a charging connector connected to one end of the charging cable and coupled to an inlet of the electric vehicle; a DC+ temperature sensor embedded inside the charging connector to sense the temperature of the DC+ line and a DC- temperature sensor to sense the temperature of the DC- line; and a charging controller for determining whether the charging cable is disconnected based on the temperature values ​​of the DC+ line and the DC- line of the charging cable measured by the DC+ temperature sensor and the DC- temperature sensor; wherein the charging controller determines that the charging connector has been stolen due to the disconnection of the charging cable when the rate of change of temperature of the DC+ line [℃ / sec] and the rate of change of temperature of the DC- line [℃ / sec] of the charging cable exceed a preset reference value (Rv).

[0022] An anti-theft device for a charging connector for an electric vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first embodiment, the charging controller receives the sensing temperatures of the DC+ line and DC- line of the charging cable from the DC+ temperature sensor and the DC- temperature sensor; calculates the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC+ line and the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC- line from the sensing temperatures of the DC+ line and the DC- line; compares the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC+ line and the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC- line with a preset reference value (Rv); and if both the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC+ line and the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC- line are greater than or equal to the reference value (Rv), determines that the charging cable is disconnected and alarms the theft of the charging connector to the outside.

[0023] An anti-theft device for a charging connector for an electric vehicle according to a third embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that, in the second embodiment, the charging controller determines that the temperature sensor is faulty and alarms the outside when either the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC+ line or the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC- line is greater than or equal to the reference value (Rv).

[0024] An anti-theft device for a charging connector for an electric vehicle according to another fourth embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that, in the third embodiment, the charging controller alarms the theft of the charging connector or the failure of the temperature sensor through the user interface of the charging device.

[0025] An anti-theft device for a charging connector for an electric vehicle according to another fifth embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that, in the third embodiment, the charging controller notifies a set information and communication terminal of the theft of the charging connector or the failure of the temperature sensor through a wireless communication network.

[0026] An anti-theft device for a charging connector for an electric vehicle according to another sixth embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that, in the fourth or fifth embodiment, the reference value (Rv) is 10 [℃ / sec].

[0027] An anti-theft device for a charging connector for an electric vehicle according to another seventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the ninth aspect, the temperature sensor is a resistance thermometer (RTD) that measures temperature using electrical resistance.

[0028] An anti-theft device for a charging connector for an electric vehicle according to another eighth embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that, in the seventh embodiment, the temperature sensor is a PT1000 sensor.

[0029] A theft prevention method for a charging connector for an electric vehicle according to another ninth aspect of the present invention is a theft prevention method for a charging connector for an electric vehicle performed in a device that determines whether a charging cable is disconnected based on the temperature values ​​of the DC+ line and DC- line of a charging cable for supplying charging current from a charging device to a battery of an electric vehicle, wherein the device comprises: a communication unit that wirelessly communicates with a set information and communication terminal; a memory that stores at least one software program for executing an algorithm to prevent theft of the charging connector for an electric vehicle; and a processor that executes the one or more software programs stored in the memory, wherein the processor comprises the steps of: receiving input by sensing the temperatures of the DC+ line and DC- line of the charging cable from a DC+ temperature sensor and a DC- temperature sensor embedded inside the charging connector; and calculating the temperature change rate of the DC+ line [℃ / sec] and the temperature change rate of the DC- line [℃ / sec] from the sensed temperatures of the DC+ line and the DC- line. The method is characterized by executing a process that includes the steps of: comparing the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC+ line and the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC- line with a preset reference value (Rv); and determining that the charging cable is disconnected and alarming the outside of the theft of the charging connector if the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC+ line and the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC- line are greater than or equal to the reference value (Rv).

[0030] A theft prevention method for a charging connector for an electric vehicle according to another 10th embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that, in the 9th embodiment, if either the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC+ line or the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC- line is greater than or equal to the reference value (Rv), the temperature sensor is determined to be faulty and an alarm is sent to the outside.

[0031] A theft prevention method for a charging connector for an electric vehicle according to another 11th aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the 10th aspect, the theft of the charging connector or the failure of the temperature sensor is alarmed through the user interface of the charging device.

[0032] A theft prevention method for a charging connector for an electric vehicle according to another 12th embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that, in the 10th embodiment, the theft of the charging connector or the failure of the temperature sensor is notified to the set information and communication terminal via a wireless communication network.

[0033] A theft prevention method for a charging connector for an electric vehicle according to another 13th embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that, in the 11th embodiment or the 12th embodiment, the reference value (Rv) is 10 [℃ / sec].

[0034] According to the present invention, the theft of the charging connector is determined by determining whether the charging cable is disconnected by utilizing the temperature sensor of the DC+ line and the temperature sensor of the DC- line, which are basically provided in the charging cable and the charging connector.

[0035] Therefore, the function of preventing theft of the charging connector can be achieved simply by updating the software of the existing charging device. Consequently, it is highly cost-effective compared to conventional technology.

[0036] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further enhance understanding of the technical concept of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention provided below; therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited only to the matters described in such drawings.

[0037] Figure 1 is an external perspective view of a typical fast charger for electric vehicles.

[0038] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an anti-theft device for a charging connector for an electric vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of a charging controller (160) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a connector anti-theft algorithm according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings. Embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the embodiments below. These embodiments are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those with average knowledge in the art. Furthermore, although specific terms have been used in the drawings and specification of the present invention, they are used only for the purpose of explaining the present invention and are not used to limit the meaning or the scope of the present invention as described in the claims. Therefore, those with ordinary knowledge in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent alternative embodiments are possible therefrom. Accordingly, the true technical scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

[0042] The present invention is capable of various modifications and may have various embodiments, and specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail. However, this is not intended to limit the invention to specific embodiments, and it should be understood that the invention includes all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0043] When it is stated that one component is "connected" or "joined" to another component, it should be understood that while it may be directly connected or joined to that other component, there may also be other components in between.

[0044] On the other hand, when it is stated that one component is "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between.

[0045] The terms used in this specification are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, terms such as “comprising” or “having” are intended to indicate the presence of the features, numbers, processes, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, processes, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0046] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this application.

[0047] Terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings. Instead, based on the principle that the inventor may appropriately define the concepts of terms to best describe their invention, they must be interpreted in a meaning and concept consistent with the technical spirit of the invention. Furthermore, unless otherwise defined, technical and scientific terms used shall have the meaning commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. Descriptions of known functions and configurations that could unnecessarily obscure the essence of the invention are omitted in the following description and accompanying drawings. The drawings presented below are provided as examples to ensure that the spirit of the invention is sufficiently conveyed to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to the drawings presented below and may be embodied in other forms. Additionally, throughout the specification, the same reference numerals indicate the same components. It should be noted that the same components in the drawings are represented by the same reference numerals wherever possible.

[0048] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. The attached drawings are not drawn to scale, and the same reference numerals in each drawing refer to the same components.

[0049] Furthermore, in the following description, the term "electric vehicle (EV, electric car)" refers to a vehicle that drives an electric motor using electrical energy charged in a battery equipped in the vehicle and uses the driving force of the motor as the vehicle's power source; it should be understood as a concept that includes not only road passenger cars but also carts, work vehicles, or two-wheeled vehicles.

[0050] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a general rapid charging device for electric vehicles, and FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an anti-theft device for a charging connector for electric vehicles according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Referring to FIG. 1, a rapid charging device (100) for an electric vehicle includes a charger body (150) and a stand or storage box (130) for mounting a charging cable (110) that supplies charging power to an electric vehicle (200) and is installed on one side of the charger body (150).

[0052] The above charger body (150) includes a housing having a cuboid shape as a case forming an external body, and a space for accommodating various components inside the housing. A cable inlet is necessarily formed in the housing to be opened for a grid power cable to be introduced.

[0053] Additionally, on one side of this housing, a stand or storage box (130) is formed for mounting or storing a charging cable (110) that supplies charging power to an electric vehicle (200).

[0054] The above charger body (150) is equipped with an AC / DC converter that converts an AC voltage supplied from a distribution board connected to an AC power distribution line into a DC voltage, and can charge the battery of an electric vehicle using the DC power converted by the AC / DC converter.

[0055] Additionally, one or more charging cables (110) may be connected to the charger body (150), and these charging cables (110) are stored by being mounted in a storage box or stand (130) installed on the left or / and right side of the charger body (150).

[0056] The above charging cable (110) is electrically connected to the battery of the electric vehicle (200) to provide charging current to the battery of the electric vehicle (200). In addition, a charging connector (120) for electrically connecting the charging cable (110) and the battery of the electric vehicle (200) is connected to one end of the above charging cable (110), and direct current power is supplied to the battery of the electric vehicle (200) through this charging connector (120).

[0057] Additionally, a user interface (140) that outputs information processed by the charging device (100) is provided on one side of the charger body (150). The user interface (140) can perform the role of an input unit (142) or an output unit (144) that receives user commands, and can be composed of a keypad, a touchpad, etc.

[0058] When the above user interface (140) is used as an input unit (142), the above user interface (140) receives input from the user, such as a charging request amount, a charging start command, and a payment processing method. When the above user interface (140) is used as an output unit (144), the above user interface (140) outputs charging status information when charging is in progress, charging completion information when charging is complete, and information or an alarm sound indicating an abnormal condition when an abnormal condition occurs, such as a temperature sensor failure and / or connector theft.

[0059] Additionally, the charger body (150) includes a charging controller (160) inside for adjusting / controlling the charging of the electric vehicle (200) based on user input from the user interface (140) and outputting charging status information through the user interface (140).

[0060] In particular, the charging controller (160) of the present invention detects the theft of the charging connector (120) and executes the anti-theft algorithm of FIG. 4 to alert the outside.

[0061] The charger body (150) configured as described above is protected by a metal housing. Since the charger body (150) is the same as a standard charger body, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0062] An electric vehicle charging connector (120) is connected to the end (end) of the above charging cable (110), and the electric vehicle charging connector (120) has a structure that can be detachably coupled to a charging port (Inlet) provided in an electric vehicle (EV) (200).

[0063] Referring to FIG. 2, a preferred anti-theft device for a charging connector of an electric vehicle according to the present invention comprises a charging connector (120) coupled to an inlet of an electric vehicle (200) to supply a charging current of a charging device (100) to a battery of an electric vehicle (200) through a charging cable (110), a DC+ temperature sensor (121) embedded inside the charging connector (120) to sense the temperature of the DC+ line of the charging cable (110), a DC- temperature sensor (122) embedded inside the charging connector (120) to sense the temperature of the DC- line of the charging cable (110), and a charging controller (160) for determining whether the charging connector (110) has been stolen based on the temperature values ​​sensed from the DC+ temperature sensor (121) and the DC- temperature sensor (122).

[0064] Additionally, if the charging controller (160) determines that the charging connector (110) has been stolen based on the temperature values ​​sensed from the DC+ temperature sensor (121) and the DC- temperature sensor (122), it may output a message or a warning sound through the output unit (144) of the user interface (140) to warn of this, or notify the administrator's information communication terminal (220) of the theft of the charging connector (120) via a wireless network.

[0065] Accordingly, a dedicated app capable of alarming the theft of the charging connector (120) can be installed on the manager's information and communication terminal (220), and the manager can check the theft in real time and respond quickly.

[0066] The charging cable (110) is intended to supply charging power between a charging device (100) and an electric vehicle (EV) (200) and is responsible for both power transmission and data transmission. To this end, the charging cable (110) is made of a material capable of conducting electricity and includes a conductor formed in a dense shape with a plurality of wires, and an outer sheath formed of a material having insulation and flexibility, which covers the conductor to isolate it from the outside and prevent electricity leakage. Additionally, the conductor consists of a DC+ line and a DC- line.

[0067] A charging connector (120) for electrically connecting the charging cable (110) and the battery of the electric vehicle (200) is connected to one end (end) of the charging cable (110), and direct current power (DC+, DC-) is supplied to the battery of the electric vehicle (200) through this connector (120). That is, to this end, the charging connector (120) is connected to the charging port (Inlet) of the electric vehicle (200).

[0068] The charging connector (120) includes temperature sensors (121, 122) installed on the DC+ line and DC- line of the charging cable (110) respectively to detect the temperature of the charging cable (110).

[0069] The above temperature sensors (121, 122) are each associated with the DC+ line and DC- line of the charging cable (110) to detect overheating of the charging cable (110), and it is preferable to apply a thermistor, for example.

[0070] A resistance thermometer (RTD) is characterized by measuring temperature using electrical resistance. This is applied based on the principle of the positive temperature coefficient (PTC), where resistance increases as temperature increases. Various platinum sensors, such as PT100 and PT1000, can be applied as the resistance thermometer (RTD) of the present invention.

[0071] In particular, the above PT1000 is a platinum thermal resistance sensor, and its resistance value is linearly proportional to the change in temperature. The relationship between the resistance value of the PT1000 and the change in temperature is that when the temperature of the PT1000 is 0℃, the resistance value is 1,000Ω, and when the temperature is 100℃, the resistance value is approximately 1,385.005Ω.

[0072] Accordingly, the charging controller (160) of the charging device (100) calculates the temperature change rate [°C / sec] of the DC+ line and the temperature change rate [°C / sec] of the DC- line based on the temperature values ​​(°C) measured from the temperature sensor (121) of the DC+ line and the temperature sensor (122) of the DC- line, and analyzes the temperature change rate [°C / sec] to determine whether the temperature sensors (121, 122) are malfunctioning or whether the charging connector (120) is stolen.

[0073] That is, the charging controller (160) determines the temperature change rate (T) based on the temperature value of the DC+ line and the temperature value of the DC- line measured by the temperature sensor (121) of the DC+ line and the temperature sensor (122) of the DC- line. C+ , T C- Calculate )[℃ / sec] respectively, and this rate of temperature change (T C+ , T C- By comparing [℃ / sec] with a preset reference value (Rv), it is determined whether the temperature sensor (121, 122) is malfunctioning or whether the charging connector (120) is stolen, and this is alerted through the user interface (140) or the administrator terminal (220).

[0074] In the case of the present invention, the reference value (Rv) is preferably 10 [℃ / sec], but it is not necessarily limited to this value and can be changed according to various conditions.

[0075] FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of a charging controller (160) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0076] Referring to FIG. 3, the charging controller (160) according to the present invention may include a communication unit (162), a processor (164), and a memory (166).

[0077] The processor (164) may be a system-on-chip and may include one or more central processing units (CPUs), dedicated graphics processing units (GPUs), or both. Additionally, the processor (164) may include multiple processors of the same or different types.

[0078] A processor (164) according to one embodiment can control the charging device (100) overall. Additionally, a processor (164) according to one embodiment can execute one or more programs stored in memory (166).

[0079] The memory (166) may include one or more different types of memory that can be used to perform device functions together with the processor (164). For example, the memory (166) may include any type of non-transient storage.

[0080] A memory (166) according to one embodiment may store various data, programs, or applications required to execute the connector theft prevention algorithm of FIG. 4. A program stored in the memory (166) may include one or more instructions. A program (one or more instructions) or application stored in the memory (166) may be executed by a processor (164).

[0081] The communication unit (162) can transmit and receive data with the administrator terminal (220) under the control of the processor (164). The communication unit (162) according to one embodiment may include one or more components that enable communication through a Wide Area Network (WAN), a mobile radio communication network, a public communication network, a private communication network, and a combination thereof.

[0082] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a connector anti-theft algorithm according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0083] Referring to FIG. 4, the charging controller (160) of the charging device (100) senses the temperature values ​​of the DC+ line and DC- line of the charging cable (110) from the DC+ temperature sensor (121) and DC- temperature sensor (122) built inside the charging connector (120), and stores them in the memory (166) (S110).

[0084] The charging controller (160) determines the DC+ temperature change rate (T) from the temperature values ​​of the DC+ line and DC- line stored in the memory (166). C+ )[℃ / sec] and DC-temperature conversion rate (T C- Calculate [℃ / sec] for each and temporarily store it in memory (166) (S120).

[0085] The above charging controller (160) is DC+ temperature change rate (T C+ It determines whether the temperature is above a preset reference value (Rv) (S130). That is, the charging controller (160) determines whether the temperature of the DC+ line changes rapidly at a slope greater than a certain reference value. For example, the reference value (Rv) is preferably 10 [℃ / sec], but it is not necessarily limited to this value. A rapid change in the temperature of the DC+ line at a slope greater than a certain reference value may mean a failure of the DC+ temperature sensor (121) and / or a disconnection of the DC+ line.

[0086] In the above S130, the DC+ temperature change rate (T C+ If ) is greater than or equal to the reference value (Rv), the charging controller (160) sets the first flag (or DC+ flag) (f1) of the stolen flag table (see [Table 1] below) of the memory (166) to "1" (S132). On the other hand, the DC+ temperature change rate (T C+ If ) is less than the reference value (Rv), the charging controller (160) sets the first flag (or DC+ flag) (f1) of the stolen flag table (see [Table 1] below) of the memory (166) to "0" (S134).

[0087] Next, the charging controller (160) has a DC-temperature change rate (T C- ) determines whether it is above a reference value (Rv) (S140). That is, the charging controller (160) determines whether the temperature of the DC-line changes rapidly at a slope greater than a certain reference value. For example, the reference value (Rv) is preferably 10 [℃ / sec], but it is not necessarily limited to this value. A rapid change in the temperature of the DC-line at a slope greater than a certain reference value may mean a failure of the DC-temperature sensor (122) and / or a disconnection of the DC-line.

[0088] In the above S140, the DC- temperature change rate (T C- If ) is greater than or equal to the reference value (Rv), the charging controller (160) sets the second flag (or DC- flag) (f2) of the stolen flag table (see [Table 1] below) of the memory (166) to "1" (S142). On the other hand, the DC- temperature change rate (T C-If ) is less than the reference value (Rv), the charging controller (160) sets the second flag (or DC- flag) (f2) of the stolen flag table (see [Table 1] below) of the memory (166) to "0" (S144).

[0089] The above steps S130 to S144 may be changed in the order of "S140→S142,S144→S130→S132,S134". That is, the process of setting the second flag (or DC- flag) (f2) may be performed first, and the process of setting the first flag (or DC+ flag) (f1) may be performed later. Alternatively, it is possible to perform the process of setting the first flag (or DC+ flag) (f1) and the process of setting the second flag (or DC- flag) (f2) simultaneously.

[0090] When a theft flag table as shown in [Table 1] below is completed through the above S130 to S144 processes, the charging controller (160) determines whether the temperature sensor is faulty or whether the connector is stolen by referring to this theft flag table.

[0091] <Theft Flag Table> DC+ Flag (f1) DC- Flag (f2) Status 00 Normal 10 DC+ Sensor Failure 01 DC- Sensor Failure 11 Connector Theft

[0092] That is, the charging controller (160) refers to the theft flag table and, if both the first flag (or DC+ flag) (f1) and the second flag (or DC- flag) (f2) are set to "1" (S150), determines that it is "connector theft" and alarms this through the output (144) of the user interface (140) of the charging device (100) or through the administrator terminal (220) (S152). On the other hand, if only one of the first flag (or DC+ flag) (f1) and the second flag (or DC- flag) (f2) of the theft flag table is set to "1" (S150), determines that it is "temperature sensor failure" and alarms this through the administrator terminal (220) of the charging device (100) (S154).

[0093] That is, DC + temperature change rate (T C+ ) and DC- temperature change rate (T C- If either of ) exceeds the reference value (Rv), it is more likely that the temperature sensors (121, 122) are faulty rather than the charging cable (110) being disconnected, and the DC+ temperature change rate (T C+ ) and DC- temperature change rate (T C- The fact that all of them exceed the reference value (Rv) suggests that it is more likely due to a disconnection caused by cutting the charging cable (110) rather than a failure of the temperature sensors (121, 122).

[0094] In this way, the present invention determines whether the charging connector has been stolen by utilizing the temperature sensor of the DC+ line and the temperature sensor of the DC- line, which are basically provided in the charging cable and the charging connector, to determine whether the charging cable is disconnected.

[0095] Therefore, the function of preventing theft of the charging connector can be achieved simply by updating the software of the existing charging device. Consequently, it is highly cost-effective compared to conventional technology.

[0096] The foregoing invention may be implemented as computer-readable code on a medium on which a program is recorded. A computer-readable medium includes all types of recording devices in which data that can be read by a computer system is stored. Examples of computer-readable media include HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Disk), SSD (Silicon Disk Drive), ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage device, etc. Accordingly, the above detailed description should not be interpreted restrictively in all respects and should be considered exemplary. The scope of the invention should be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all modifications within the equivalent scope of the invention are included within the scope of the invention.

[0097] Although the present invention has been described above by limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is obvious that various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims described below by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs.

[0098] The above-described anti-theft device and method for an electric vehicle charging connector according to the present invention are applied to an electric vehicle charging device, particularly an electric vehicle charging connector, to prevent theft of the charging connector.

Claims

1. A charging cable including a DC+ line and a DC- line to supply charging current from a charging device to the battery of an electric vehicle; A charging connector connected to one end of the above charging cable and coupled to the inlet of an electric vehicle; A DC+ temperature sensor embedded inside the charging connector for sensing the temperature of the DC+ line, and a DC- temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the DC- line; and It includes a charging controller for determining whether the charging cable is disconnected based on the temperature values ​​of the DC+ line and DC- line of the charging cable measured by the DC+ temperature sensor and the DC- temperature sensor; The above charging controller is, Theft prevention device for an electric vehicle charging connector, characterized by determining that the charging connector has been stolen due to a disconnection of the charging cable when the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC+ line and the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC- line of the charging cable exceed a preset threshold (Rv).

2. In Paragraph 1, The above charging controller is, The sensing temperatures of the DC+ line and DC- line of the charging cable are received from the above DC+ temperature sensor and DC- temperature sensor; Calculate the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC+ line and the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC- line from the sensing temperature of the above DC+ line and the sensing temperature of the DC- line; Comparing the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the above DC+ line and the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC- line with a preset reference value (Rv); An anti-theft device for a charging connector of an electric vehicle, characterized by determining that the charging cable is disconnected and alarming the outside of the theft of the charging connector when both the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC+ line and the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC- line are above the reference value (Rv).

3. In Paragraph 2, The above charging controller is, An anti-theft device for an electric vehicle charging connector, characterized by determining that the temperature sensor is faulty and alarming the outside when either the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC+ line or the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC- line is greater than or equal to the reference value (Rv).

4. In Paragraph 3, The above charging controller is, An anti-theft device for a charging connector of an electric vehicle, characterized by alarming the theft of the charging connector or the failure of the temperature sensor through the user interface of the charging device.

5. In Paragraph 3, The above charging controller is, Theft prevention device for an electric vehicle charging connector, characterized by notifying a configured information and communication terminal of the theft of the charging connector or the failure of the temperature sensor via a wireless communication network.

6. In Paragraph 4 or 5, An anti-theft device for an electric vehicle charging connector characterized by the above-mentioned standard value (Rv) being 10 [℃ / sec].

7. In Paragraph 6, Anti-theft device for an electric vehicle charging connector, characterized in that the above-mentioned temperature sensor is a resistance thermometer (RTD) that measures temperature using electrical resistance.

8. In Paragraph 7, Anti-theft device for an electric vehicle charging connector characterized in that the above-mentioned temperature sensor is a PT1000 sensor.

9. A method for preventing theft of a charging connector for an electric vehicle, comprising a device that determines whether a charging cable is disconnected based on the temperature values ​​of the DC+ line and DC- line of a charging cable for supplying charging current from a charging device to a battery of an electric vehicle, wherein The above device is, A communication unit that communicates wirelessly with a configured information and communication terminal; A memory storing at least one software program for executing an algorithm to prevent theft of a charging connector for an electric vehicle; and It includes a processor that executes one or more software programs stored in the memory, The above processor is, A step of sensing and receiving the temperatures of the DC+ line and DC- line of the charging cable from the DC+ temperature sensor and DC- temperature sensor embedded inside the charging connector; A step of calculating the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC+ line and the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC- line from the sensing temperatures of the above DC+ line and DC- line; A step of comparing the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC+ line and the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC- line with a preset reference value (Rv); A method for preventing theft of a charging connector for an electric vehicle, characterized by executing a process that includes the step of determining that the charging cable is disconnected and alarming the outside of the theft of the charging connector when the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC+ line and the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC- line are greater than or equal to the reference value (Rv).

10. In Paragraph 9, A method for preventing theft of a charging connector for an electric vehicle, characterized by further including the step of determining that the temperature sensor is faulty and alarming the outside if either the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC+ line or the temperature change rate [℃ / sec] of the DC- line is greater than or equal to the reference value (Rv).

11. In Paragraph 10, A method for preventing theft of a charging connector for an electric vehicle, characterized by alarming the theft of the charging connector or the failure of the temperature sensor through the user interface of the charging device.

12. In Paragraph 10, A method for preventing theft of a charging connector for an electric vehicle, characterized by notifying the information and communication terminal set above of the theft of the charging connector or the failure of the temperature sensor via a wireless communication network.

13. In Paragraph 11 or 12, Theft prevention method for an electric vehicle charging connector characterized by the above-mentioned standard value (Rv) being 10 [℃ / sec].

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