Vehicle, charger, charging system including charger, and abnormality diagnosis method for charger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10967753-B2
Application number	US-201916254039-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2019
Priority date	Jan 26, 2018
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

A vehicle includes: an inlet configured to allow a connector of a charging cable to be inserted into the inlet; a battery configured to be charged from a charger through the connector and the inlet; a communication device configured to perform communication with a server; and an ECU configured to control charging. The ECU diagnoses whether there is an abnormality in the charger, when where the charger and the vehicle are connected to each other through the charging cable, the abnormality being able to be diagnosed in a state where the connector has been inserted into the inlet, and sends information indicating an abnormality occurrence, to the server through the communication device, when where the ECU diagnoses the charger as having the abnormality.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle configured to perform communication with a charger provided outside of the vehicle through a charging cable, the vehicle comprising:
an inlet configured to allow a connector of the charging cable to be inserted into the inlet, the inlet includes an inlet terminal and the connector includes a connector terminal configured to output electric power in a state where the connector terminal is electrically connected to the inlet terminal;
an electric storage device configured to be charged from the charger through the connector and the inlet;
a communication device configured to perform communication with an external apparatus other than the charger provided outside of the vehicle;
a charging line;
a voltage sensor configured to detect voltage of the charging line; and
a current sensor configured to detect electric current that flows along the charging line; and
an electronic control unit configured to control charging through the connector and the inlet, wherein:
the electronic control unit being configured to diagnose whether there is an abnormality in the charger, when the charger and the vehicle are connected to each other through the charging cable, the abnormality being able to be diagnosed in a state where the connector has been inserted into the inlet, and
the electronic control unit being configured to send information indicating an abnormality occurrence, to the external apparatus through the communication device, when the electronic control unit diagnoses the charger as having the abnormality, the information indicating the abnormality occurrence is information indicating a connection abnormality between the inlet terminal and the connector terminal in the state where the connector has been inserted into the inlet,
the electronic control unit is configured to calculate a supply electric power from the charger based on detection results of the voltage sensor and the current sensor, and
the electronic control unit is configured to send the information indicating the abnormality occurrence, to the external apparatus, when the electronic control unit gives a notice of a command including an electric power command value, to the charger and the electronic control unit determines that the supply electric power does not satisfy the electric power command value in the state where the connector has been inserted into the inlet.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the connector further includes a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the connector terminal;
the charger further includes a control circuit that receives a signal from the temperature sensor;
the control circuit is configured to diagnose whether there is an abnormal heat generation in the connector based on the signal from the temperature sensor during sending of electric power from the charger; and
the electronic control unit is configured to send the information indicating the abnormality occurrence, to the external apparatus, when the electronic control unit receives, from the charger, a notice indicating that the abnormal heat generation of the connector terminal has occurred.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the inlet further includes a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the inlet terminal;
the electronic control unit is configured to receive a signal from the temperature sensor and diagnoses whether there is an abnormal heat generation in the inlet during receiving of electric power from the charger; and
the electronic control unit is configured to send the information indicating the abnormality occurrence, to the external apparatus, when the electronic control unit diagnoses that the abnormal heat generation of the inlet terminal has occurred.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the external apparatus includes a different vehicle other than the vehicle, and a server that manages whether there is an abnormality in a plurality of chargers including the charger.

5. A vehicle configured to perform communication with a charger provided outside of the vehicle through a charging cable, the vehicle comprising:
an inlet configured to allow a connector of the charging cable to be inserted into the inlet, the inlet includes an inlet terminal and the connector includes a connector terminal configured to output electric power in a state where the connector terminal is electrically connected to the inlet terminal;
an electric storage device configured to be charged from the charger through the connector and the inlet;
a communication device configured to perform communication with an external apparatus other than the charger provided outside of the vehicle; and
an electronic control unit configured to control charging through the connector and the inlet, wherein:
the electronic control unit being configured to diagnose whether there is an abnormality in the charger, when the charger and the vehicle are connected to each other through the charging cable, the abnormality being able to be diagnosed in a state where the connector has been inserted into the inlet, and
the electronic control unit being configured to send information indicating an abnormality occurrence, to the external apparatus through the communication device, when the electronic control unit diagnoses the charger as having the abnormality, the information indicating the abnormality occurrence is information indicating a connection abnormality between the inlet terminal and the connector terminal in the state where the connector has been inserted into the inlet,
the connector further includes a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the connector terminal;
the charger further includes a control circuit that receives a signal from the temperature sensor;
the control circuit is configured to diagnose whether there is an abnormal heat generation in the connector based on the signal from the temperature sensor during sending of electric power from the charger; and
the electronic control unit is configured to send the information indicating the abnormality occurrence, to the external apparatus, when the electronic control unit receives, from the charger, a notice indicating that the abnormal heat generation of the connector terminal has occurred.

6. A vehicle configured to perform communication with a charger provided outside of the vehicle through a charging cable, the vehicle comprising:
an inlet configured to allow a connector of the charging cable to be inserted into the inlet, the inlet includes an inlet terminal and the connector includes a connector terminal configured to output electric power in a state where the connector terminal is electrically connected to the inlet terminal, the inlet includes a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the inlet terminal;
an electric storage device configured to be charged from the charger through the connector and the inlet;
a communication device configured to perform communication with an external apparatus other than the charger provided outside of the vehicle; and
an electronic control unit configured to control charging through the connector and the inlet, wherein:
the electronic control unit being configured to diagnose whether there is an abnormality in the charger, when the charger and the vehicle are connected to each other through the charging cable, the abnormality being able to be diagnosed in a state where the connector has been inserted into the inlet, and
the electronic control unit being configured to send information indicating an abnormality occurrence, to the external apparatus through the communication device, when the electronic control unit diagnoses the charger as having the abnormality, the information indicating the abnormality occurrence is information indicating a connection

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kusumi Hidetoshi

Classifications

• B60L2240/36

  Temperature of vehicle components or parts · CPC title

• B60L53/68

  Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control · CPC title

• B60L53/67

  Controlling two or more charging stations · CPC title

• B60L53/14

  Conductive energy transfer · CPC title

• Y04S30/12

  Remote or cooperative charging · CPC title