Power feed system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021107373-A1
Application number	US-202017069536-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 13, 2020
Priority date	Oct 15, 2019
Publication date	Apr 15, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A power feed system includes a power feed controller that controls a plurality of vehicles including a first vehicle and a second vehicle to successively carry out external power feed in a relayed manner. In passing on external power feed in the relayed manner from the first vehicle to the second vehicle, the power feed controller controls the first vehicle and the second vehicle to make transition from external power feed by the first vehicle to external power feed by the second vehicle with an overlapping period being interposed. During the overlapping period, both of the first vehicle and the second vehicle simultaneously carry out external power feed. The power feed controller controls at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle to set total electric power to target electric power during the overlapping period.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A power feed system comprising:
a plurality of vehicles each including a power storage that is externally power feedable; and a power feed controller that controls the plurality of vehicles to successively carry out external power feed in a relayed manner, the plurality of vehicles including a first vehicle and a second vehicle, wherein in passing on external power feed in the relayed manner from the first vehicle to the second vehicle, the power feed controller controls the first vehicle and the second vehicle to make transition from external power feed by the first vehicle to external power feed by the second vehicle with an overlapping period being interposed, the overlapping period being a period during which both of the first vehicle and the second vehicle simultaneously carry out external power feed, and the power feed controller controls at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle to set total electric power to target electric power during the overlapping period, the total electric power representing a sum of electric power fed from the first vehicle and electric power fed from the second vehicle.

2 . The power feed system according to claim 1 , wherein
in passing on external power feed in the relayed manner from the first vehicle to the second vehicle, the power feed controller decreases electric power fed from the first vehicle at a first rate and increases electric power fed from the second vehicle at a second rate, and each of the first rate and the second rate is equal to or lower than 3 kW/second on average from start until end of the overlapping period.

3 . The power feed system according to claim 1 , wherein
when external power feed in the relayed manner by the first vehicle and the second vehicle does not proceed as scheduled, the power feed controller controls a third vehicle to carry out external power feed.

4 . The power feed system according to claim 3 , wherein
when the first vehicle quits external power feed earlier than scheduled, the power feed controller passes on external power feed in the relayed manner from the first vehicle to the third vehicle and then to the second vehicle by controlling the third vehicle to carry out external power feed.

5 . The power feed system according to claim 3 , comprising an input apparatus that accepts an operation from a user, wherein
when the user performs a prescribed operation onto the input apparatus while the first vehicle is carrying out external power feed, the first vehicle transmits a prescribed signal to the power feed controller and thereafter stops external power feed that the first vehicle is carrying out, and when the power feed controller receives the prescribed signal from the first vehicle, the power feed controller starts external power feed by the third vehicle before external power feed that is being carried out by the first vehicle is stopped.

6 . The power feed system according to claim 1 , wherein
when the first vehicle quits external power feed earlier than scheduled, the power feed controller passes on external power feed in the relayed manner from the first vehicle to the second vehicle with the overlapping period being interposed, by starting external power feed by the second vehicle earlier than scheduled.

7 . The power feed system according to claim 1 , wherein
the power feed controller controls a length of the overlapping period based on a time period required for the power feed controller to communicate with each of the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

8 . The power feed system according to claim 1 , wherein
when the power feed controller senses difference of the total electric power from the target electric power during the overlapping period, the power feed controller changes feed power of at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle to set the total electric power to the target electric power.

9 . The power feed system according to claim 1 , further comprising a power grid that is electrically connectable to each of the plurality of vehicles, wherein
electric power output from each of the plurality of vehicles in external power feed in the relayed manner is supplied to the power grid, and while the power feed controller is carrying out external power feed in the relayed manner, the power feed controller controls at least one of the plurality of vehicles to set electric power supplied to the power grid to the target electric power.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nakamura Toru
• Kusumi Hidetoshi
• Kinomura Shigeki
• Tsuchiya Yoshiyuki
• Kitaoka Hironobu

Classifications

• Y02E60/00

  Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation · CPC title

• Y04S30/12

  Remote or cooperative charging · CPC title

• Y02T90/12

  Electric charging stations · CPC title

• Y02T90/14

  Plug-in electric vehicles · CPC title

• Y02T90/16

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