Vehicle-Side Multi-Pile Charging Coordination via Master Battery Control Unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-pile electric vehicle charging systems require dedicated communication lines and software modifications, leading to compatibility issues between legacy and new charging piles, and are vulnerable to malfunctions that can halt entire charging sessions, especially when using charging piles from different vendors.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle-side control system that uses a master battery control unit (MBCU) to coordinate independent charging sessions through standard communication protocols, eliminating the need for dedicated communication lines and software modifications, and allowing charging piles from different vendors to operate seamlessly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If dedicated communication lines and software modifications are implemented for multi-pile charging coordination, then charging session coordination capability is improved, but device complexity and compatibility issues increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle's battery control unit autonomously coordinates the multi-pile charging session by directly communicating with each charging pile's supply equipment communication controller. The vehicle initiates and manages the charging process without requiring the charging piles to have complex inter-communication capabilities, making the system self-organizing and reducing overall infrastructure complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having charging piles communicate with each other through dedicated lines and centralized control, the invention inverts the control direction by having the vehicle's battery control unit directly manage multiple charging piles. This eliminates the need for complex charging pile-to-charging pile communication infrastructure while achieving the same coordination goal.
2Reliability
If master-slave protocol with dedicated communication lines is used, then charging coordination reliability is improved, but ease of repair and vendor flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the charging coordination function from the charging piles and places it in the vehicle's battery control unit. Each charging pile operates independently using standard protocols, and the vehicle's controller coordinates them. This segmentation allows any charging pile to be replaced or maintained without affecting others, as long as the vehicle's coordination system remains functional.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle's battery control unit serves as a universal coordinator that can work with any standard-compliant charging pile from different vendors. By using industry-standard communication protocols without proprietary modifications, the system achieves vendor neutrality and interoperability, allowing flexible replacement and mixing of charging piles from different manufacturers.
3Adaptability or versatility
If standardized communication protocols are used without modifications, then vendor compatibility and ease of operation are improved, but multi-pile charging coordination capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle's battery control unit acts as an intermediary that enables multi-pile charging coordination using only standard communication protocols. It manages the complexity of coordinating multiple independent charging sessions, handling power distribution, monitoring, and control signals between the vehicle and multiple charging piles without requiring modifications to the standard protocols themselves.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system or method for vehicle-side control of a multi-pile charging session, the system comprising: (a) a plurality of charging piles (10A), each charging pile (10A) including a supply equipment communication controller (10B); and (b) a vehicle electrical system for an electric vehicle with a master battery control unit (18) in data communication with a plurality of battery control units (BCU0, BCU1, BCU2). The master battery control unit (18) is configured to coordinate two or more independent charging sessions through the battery control units (BCU0, BCU1, BCU2) during each multi-pile charging session. Each independent charging session is managed with an independent protocol message exchange through a BCU-to-SECC communication pathway (22) established by power line communication.