Method and control device for operating a charger for electrically driven vehicles and charger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023398881-A1
Application number	US-202318207727-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 9, 2023
Priority date	Jun 10, 2022
Publication date	Dec 14, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method is provided for operating a bidirectional charger ( 1 ) for DC charging of electric vehicles. The charger ( 10 ) has a charging terminal ( 11 ) for connecting an electrically driven vehicle and at least one power electronics unit ( 12 ) for providing defined charging current and defined charging voltage at the charging terminal ( 11 ). The power electronics unit ( 12 ) is subjected to a self-test voltage of at least the maximum charging voltage of the charger ( 10 ) at defined time intervals for a defined time for performing a self-test when there is no vehicle at the charging terminal ( 11 ). A check then is performed to ascertain whether a short circuit or defect is formed at the power electronics unit ( 12 ). The charging terminal ( 11 ) is enabled for charging a vehicle if no short circuit is found and the charging terminal is blocked for charging a vehicle when a short circuit is established.

First claim

1 . A method for operating a bidirectional charger ( 10 ) for DC charging of electrically driven vehicles, the charger ( 10 ) having at least one charging terminal ( 11 ) for connecting to an electrically driven vehicle and at least one power electronics unit ( 12 ) for providing a defined charging current and a defined charging voltage at the respective charging terminal ( 11 ), the method comprising:
checking whether a vehicle is connected to the charging terminal ( 11 ); performing a self-test by subjecting the power electronics unit ( 12 ) of the charging terminal ( 11 ) to a self-test voltage equal to at least a maximum charging voltage of the charger ( 10 ) at defined time intervals for a defined self-test time period; ascertaining whether a short circuit or defect is formed at the power electronics unit ( 12 ) of the charging terminal ( 11 ); enabling the charging terminal ( 11 ) to charge a vehicle if it is established that no short circuit or defect is formed; and blocking the charging terminal ( 11 ) for charging a vehicle if it is established that a short circuit or defect exists.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the self-test voltage is greater than the maximum charging voltage of the charger ( 10 ).

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the self-test voltage is greater than the maximum charging voltage of the charger ( 10 ) by at least 50 volts.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising terminating the self-test of the power electronics unit ( 11 ) if a vehicle is being connected to the charging terminal ( 11 ) during the performance of the self-test.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the self-test, comprises:
checking the power electronics unit ( 12 ) to determine whether the power electronics unit has a fault status or a charging status, and beginning a self-test only upon determining that that no fault status or charging status exists; checking whether the self-test is still being performed at the power electronics unit after having begun the self-test; if no self-test currently is being performed at the power electronics unit, checking whether a time span since a last-performed self-test has reached or exceeded a defined time interval between self-tests; if the time span since the last-performed self-test has reached or exceeded the defined time interval between self-tests, checking whether the respective power electronics unit is sleeping or is operationally ready; and starting a self-test upon determining that the respective power electronics unit is operationally ready.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein if the power electronics unit is determined to be sleeping, the method further comprising waking up the power electronics unit and establishing an operationally ready state.

7 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining whether a vehicle is being connected to the charging terminal; and terminating the self-test and providing the defined charging voltage at the respective charging terminal ( 11 ) upon determining that a vehicle is being connected to the respective charging terminal.

8 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
when a self-test is performed, checking whether the defined self-test time period for a self-test since the start of the self-test has been reached or exceeded; and when it is established that the defined self-test time period has been reached or exceeded, ending the self-test.

9 . A control device of a bidirectional charger ( 10 ) for DC charging of electrically driven vehicles, wherein the control device is configured to automatically perform the method of claim 1 .

10 . A charger for bidirectional charging of electrically driven vehicles having the control device of claim 9 .

Assignees

• Porsche Ag
• Ads Tec Energy Gmbh

Inventors

• Heyne Raoul
• Ochs Holger
• Ziegler Daniel
• Ochs Thorsten
• Bareiss Simon

Classifications

• H02J2105/37

  exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] · CPC title

• H02J7/60

  including safety or protection arrangements · CPC title

• G01R19/165

  Indicating that current or voltage is either above or below a predetermined value or within or outside a predetermined range of values · CPC title

• B60L53/62

  in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge · CPC title

• B60L2240/547

  Voltage · CPC title