Apparatus for managing power of electric vehicle and method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11964585-B2
Application number	US-202016802108-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2020
Priority date	Aug 21, 2019
Publication date	Apr 23, 2024
Grant date	Apr 23, 2024

Abstract

An apparatus for managing power of an electric vehicle and a method thereof are provided. The apparatus determines whether a user participates in a leisure activity based on surrounding information of the electric vehicle, and supplies power when a plug is connected to an outlet provided in the electric vehicle while entering a leisure mode to allow the user to use the outlet during leisure activities. The apparatus includes an information collector that collects surrounding information of the electronic vehicle, and a controller that determines whether a user is performing a leisure activity based on the surrounding information of the electric vehicle collected by the information collector and adjusts power supply based on whether an outlet provided in the electric vehicle is plugged in in a leisure mode indicating that the user is performing a leisure activity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for managing power of an electric vehicle, comprising:
an information collector configured to collect surrounding information of the electric vehicle; and
a controller configured to:
determine whether a leisure activity is being performed by a user based on the surrounding information of the electric vehicle collected by the information collector, and
adjust power supply based on whether an outlet provided in the electric vehicle is plugged in in a leisure mode indicating that the leisure activity is being performed;

wherein the surrounding information includes a surrounding image and location information of the electric vehicle; and
wherein the controller is configured to:
activate the leisure mode when an object related to the leisure activity is included in the surrounding image of the electric vehicle; and
activate the leisure mode when the electric vehicle is located at a leisure activity place.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the outlet is mounted on an inside of the electric vehicle.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to supply the power to the outlet when a driver seat door is opened and the outlet is plugged in in the leisure mode.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to output a notification to the user indicating that the power is being supplied to the outlet.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to block the power supply in response to determining that a drivable distance of the electric vehicle is less than a distance to a nearest charging station while the power is supplied to the outlet.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to output a notification to the user indicating that the power supplied to the outlet is blocked.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to stop the power supply in response to receiving a blocking signal from a smart key.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to supply the power to the outlet when a passenger seat door or a rear seat door is opened in the leisure mode, indoor authentication of a smart key possessed by the user is completed, and the outlet is plugged in.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to output a notification to the user indicating that the power is supplied to the outlet.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to block the power supply in response to determining that a drivable distance of the electric vehicle is less than a distance to a nearest charging station while the power is supplied to the outlet.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to output a notification to the user indicating that the power supplied to the outlet is blocked.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to stop the power supply in response to receiving a blocking signal from a smart key.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the outlet is mounted on an outside of the electric vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to supply the power to the outlet when the outlet is plugged in and a permission signal is received from an input button mounted on an inside of the electric vehicle.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to output a notification to the user indicating that the power is being supplied to the outlet.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to block the power supply in response to determining that a drivable distance of the electric vehicle is less than a distance to a nearest charging station while the power is supplied to the outlet.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to output a notification to the user indicating that the power supplied to the outlet is blocked.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to stop the power supply in response to receiving a blocking signal from a smart key.

19. A method of managing power of an electric vehicle, comprising:
collecting, by a controller, surrounding information of the electric vehicle;
determining, by the controller, whether a leisure activity is being performed by a user based on the collected surrounding information of the electric vehicle; and
adjusting, by the controller, power supply based on whether an outlet provided in the electric vehicle is plugged in in a leisure mode indicating that the leisure activity is being performed;
wherein the surrounding information includes a surrounding image and location information of the electric vehicle; and
wherein the adjusting the power includes
activating, by the controller, the leisure mode when an object related to the leisure activity is included in the surrounding image of the electric vehicle; and
activating, by the controller, the leisure mode when the electric vehicle is located at a leisure activity place.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the adjusting the power includes:
supplying, by the controller, the power to an outlet mounted on an inside of the electric vehicle when a driver seat door is opened and the outlet mounted on the inside of the electric vehicle is plugged in in the leisure mode;
supplying, by the controller, the power to the outlet mounted on the inside of the electric vehicle when a passenger seat door or a rear seat door is opened in the leisure mode, indoor authentication of a smart key possessed by the user is completed, and the outlet mounted on the inside of the electric vehicle is plugged in; and
supplying, by the controller, the power to an outlet mounted on an outside of the electric vehicle when the outlet mounted on the outside of the electric vehicle is plugged in and a permission signal is received from an input button mounted on the inside of the electric vehicle.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Oh Da Ye
• Lee Ki Suk

Classifications

• B60L55/00 Primary

  Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements · CPC title

• B60L1/006 Primary

  to power outlets · CPC title

• B60L58/14

  Preventing excessive discharging · CPC title

• B60R25/241

  whereby access privileges are related to the identifiers · CPC title

• B60L53/16 Primary

  Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles · CPC title