Multi-Outlet Vehicle Charge Device and Control Strategy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020001724-A1
Application number	US-201816023598-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 29, 2018
Priority date	Jun 29, 2018
Publication date	Jan 2, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle charge station including charge cords and a controller is provided. Each of the charge cords may include an electrical connector to mate with a vehicle. The controller may be programmed to, responsive to detecting a first active one of the charge cords having a change in current draw greater than a second active one of the charge cords for a same time period, increase power provided to the first active one of the charge cords. The controller may be further programmed to, responsive to detecting the first active one of the charge cords having a continually active duration less than the second active one of the charge cords for another same time period, increase power provided to the first active one of the charge cords.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle charge station comprising:
charge cords each including an electrical connector to mate with a vehicle; and a controller programmed to, responsive to detecting a first active one of the charge cords having a change in current draw greater than a second active one of the charge cords for a same time period, increase power provided to the first active one of the charge cords.

2 . The station of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to, responsive to detecting the first active one of the charge cords having a continually active duration less than the second active one of the charge cords for another same time period, increase power provided to the first active one of the charge cords.

3 . The station of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to, responsive to detecting a first state of charge associated with a first vehicle mated with the first active one of the charge cords being less than a second state of charge associated with a second vehicle mated with the second active one of the charge cords, increase power provided the first active one of the charge cords.

4 . The station of claim 1 , wherein each of the electrical connectors includes electronics to interface with a control unit of a vehicle to identify operating conditions of the vehicle.

5 . The station of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to execute one of a variable charge algorithm or a priority algorithm, wherein the algorithms operate to identify a variable charge distribution to each of the electrical connectors based on an amount of time connected to the charge station, a price paid for access to the charge station, or a state of charge.

6 . The station of claim 1 further comprising a power source in communication with the charge cords and the controller, wherein the controller is further programmed to direct the power source to variably output power to active ones of the charge cords according to a priority list defined by detected vehicle conditions.

7 . A vehicle charge station comprising:
charge cords each including an electrical connector to mate with a vehicle; and a controller programmed to, responsive to detecting parameters describing power flow through active ones of the charge cords to corresponding vehicles, alter charge currents of the active ones of the charge cords to prioritize charging of the corresponding vehicles according to a predefined set of rules applied to the parameters.

8 . The station of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further programmed to, responsive to data identifying some of the corresponding vehicles as having paid a fee to raise their priority, increase the charge currents of the some of the corresponding vehicles.

9 . The station of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further programmed to output notices to users of the corresponding vehicles regarding changes to charge priority.

10 . The station of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further programmed to prioritize charging of the corresponding vehicles according to order of vehicle arrival.

11 . The station of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further programmed to prioritize charging of the corresponding vehicles according to state of charge data of the corresponding vehicles.

12 . The station of claim 7 further comprising an energy source in communication with the charged cords and the controller and further comprising a passdown current pool for storing passdown current allotted to a first vehicle but not used, wherein the controller is further programmed to direct the energy source to output the stored passdown current to a second vehicle.

13 . A vehicle charge station comprising:
charge cords each including an electrical connector to mate with a vehicle; and a controller programmed to, responsive to detecting a first active one of the charge cords having a continually active duration less than a second active one of the charge cords for a same time period, increase power provided to the first active one of the charge cords.

14 . The station of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further programmed to, responsive to detecting the first active one of the charge cords having a change in current draw greater than the second active one of the charge cords for another same time period, increase power provided to the first active one of the charge cords.

15 . The station of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further programmed to, responsive to detecting a first state of charge associated with a first vehicle mated with the first active one of the charge cords being less than a second state of charge associated with a second vehicle mated with the second active one of the charge cords, increase power provided the first active one of the charge cords.

16 . The station of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further programmed to:
estimate a state of charge (SOC) for each of a first vehicle connected to the first active one of the charge cords and a second vehicle connected to the second active one of the charge cords, input the SOC values into a variable charge distribution algorithm to calculate a charge distribution output to the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and output a charge command to direct an amount of charge to each of the first vehicle and the second vehicle based on the calculated charge distribution output.

17 . The station of claim 16 , wherein the controller is further programmed to input detected vehicle arrival times and detected vehicle payment categories into a priority algorithm to identify a priority point value for each of the first vehicle and the second vehicle connected to one of the charge cords.

18 . The station of claim 17 , wherein the controller is further programmed to output a charge command including a charge amount based on totals of the priority point values.

19 . The station of claim 16 , wherein the controller is further programmed to detect additional current draws at spaced apart intervals and to update the SOC values input into the variable charge distribution algorithm to output subsequent charge commands based on changing SOC values at the spaced apart intervals.

20 . The station of claim 16 , wherein the controller is further programmed to direct storage of passdown current allotted to the first vehicle but not used and to direct output of the stored passdown current to the second vehicle.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Jordan Iii Dale F
• Von Der Lippe Matthew Erich
• Berthault Jude
• Palic Jeffrey Alan
• Miller Kenneth James

Classifications

• B60L53/60

  Monitoring or controlling charging stations · CPC title

• B60L53/14 Primary

  Conductive energy transfer · CPC title

• B60L53/66

  Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles · CPC title

• B60L53/65

  involving identification of vehicles or their battery types · CPC title

• B60L53/665

  Methods related to measuring, billing or payment · CPC title