Vehicle Charging Cable Lock Control via Noise Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle charging systems face communication disruptions due to noise interference during external charging, preventing proper switching of the cable lock mechanism when the antenna is near the inlet.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle system that includes a cable lock mechanism, a control device for noise suppression and verification processes, and a relay to manage the charging current, ensuring reliable communication and switching of the lock state based on authorized user verification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the antenna is located near the inlet to enable communication with the electronic key, then the cable lock mechanism can be controlled, but noise from external charging disrupts communication
Solution Approach 1:
The control device executes the verification process before the noise suppression process, or during a time window when charging current is reduced. This preliminary verification ensures that communication with the electronic key is completed before noise from external charging disrupts the signal, allowing the cable lock mechanism to be controlled based on verified authorization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic verification processes interspersed with noise suppression cycles. The control device alternates between executing verification (when charging current is low or suppressed) and noise suppression (reducing charging current), creating periodic windows for reliable communication while maintaining charging functionality.
2Reliability
If noise suppression process is executed to reduce charging current, then communication reliability improves, but charging speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The noise suppression process reduces the charging current to a level sufficient for reliable communication rather than completely stopping charging. This partial suppression maintains enough power flow to keep the charging process active while reducing noise to acceptable levels, balancing communication reliability with charging productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Verification processes are executed at predetermined timing when charging current is naturally lower or after noise suppression has been applied. This timing strategy allows reliable communication to occur during favorable electrical conditions without requiring complete charging interruption, thus maintaining overall charging speed while ensuring authentication reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle capable of being externally charged, in which a vehicle-mounted power storage device is charged using electric power supplied from a charging cable external to the vehicle, an ECU executes a smart verification process for communicating with an electronic key located within a prescribed verification range and verifying whether the electronic key is an authorized user's key or not, when it is detected that a user has operated a switch for locking the charging cable. When smart verification is impossible, the ECU executes a noise suppression process caused by external charging, and executes the smart verification process during the noise suppression process. When it is determined by the smart verification process during the noise suppression process that smart verification is possible, the ECU switches a state of a lock mechanism of the charging cable.