Vehicle and power apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12420653-B2
Application number	US-202418438954-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2024
Priority date	Feb 20, 2023
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

A vehicle includes a vehicle inlet to which a vehicle plug that allows external power feed is connected, an electronic lock that locks the vehicle inlet and the vehicle plug, and a vehicle controller that controls the electronic lock. When output in external power feed is larger than 16 A (a prescribed value) at the time of reception of a request for release of locking by the electronic lock from a user, the vehicle controller prohibits release of locking by the electronic lock. When the output in external power feed is equal to or lower than 16 A at the time of reception of the request for release of locking by the electronic lock from the user, the vehicle controller releases locking by the electronic lock.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a secondary battery;
a vehicle inlet to which a vehicle plug is connected, the vehicle plug allowing power transmission including at least one of external charging and external power feed;
an electronic lock that locks the vehicle inlet and the vehicle plug; and
a vehicle controller that controls the electronic lock, wherein
when output in the power transmission is larger than a prescribed value at time of reception of a request for release of locking by the electronic lock from a user, the vehicle controller prohibits release of locking by the electronic lock, and
when output in the power transmission is equal to or lower than the prescribed value at the time of reception of the request for release of the locking by the electronic lock from the user, the vehicle controller releases locking by the electronic lock.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
while locking by the electronic lock is inactive, the vehicle controller prohibits start of the power transmission under a condition that output in the power transmission is larger than the prescribed value.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a notification apparatus that gives a notification to the user, wherein
when the vehicle controller prohibits release of the locking by the electronic lock because of the output in the power transmission being larger than the prescribed value at the time of reception of the request for release of locking by the electronic lock from the user, the vehicle controller controls the notification apparatus to give a notification that the output in the power transmission is larger than the prescribed value.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a communication apparatus that communicates with a terminal capable of receiving an operation by the user, wherein
when the vehicle controller prohibits release of locking by the electronic lock because of the output in the power transmission being larger than the prescribed value, the communication apparatus transmits to the terminal, a signal about release of locking by the electronic lock.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the request for release of locking by the electronic lock includes a first request and a second request different from the first request,
when the output in the power transmission is larger than the prescribed value at the time of reception of the first request from the user, the vehicle controller prohibits release of locking by the electronic lock,
when the output in the power transmission is equal to or lower than the prescribed value at the time of reception of the first request from the user, the vehicle controller releases locking by the electronic lock, and
at the time of reception of the second request from the user, regardless of the output in the power transmission, the vehicle controller controls the output in the power transmission to be equal to or lower than the prescribed value and releases locking by the electronic lock.

6. The vehicle according to claim 5 , further comprising a vehicle door for entry into and exit from the vehicle, wherein
the first request is a request for release of locking by the electronic lock in coordination with unlocking of the vehicle door, and
the second request is a request for release of locking by the electronic lock based on pressing of an unlocking button provided in the vehicle plug.

7. A power apparatus comprising:
a vehicle plug that allows power transmission including at least one of external charging and external power feed by being connected to a vehicle inlet of a vehicle on which a secondary battery is mounted; and
an apparatus-side controller that controls an electronic lock that locks the vehicle inlet and the vehicle plug, wherein
when output in the power transmission is larger than a prescribed value at time of reception of a request for release of locking by the electronic lock from a user, the apparatus-side controller prohibits release of locking by the electronic lock, and
when output in the power transmission is equal to or lower than the prescribed value at the time of reception of the request for release of locking by the electronic lock from the user, the apparatus-side controller releases locking by the electronic lock.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Aoki Yuya

Classifications

• G07C2009/00507

  keyless data carrier having more than one function · CPC title

• G07C9/00309

  operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks · CPC title

• G07C5/0816

  Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction · CPC title

• Y02T90/14

  Plug-in electric vehicles · CPC title

• Y02T90/16

  Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles · CPC title