3522results about "Energy efficient vehicular charging" patented technology

This invention relates to a power module for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle including an integrated converter having a rectifier changing AC to DC, a DC / DC converter changing from a first voltage to a second voltage, and a battery storing electrical energy. The integrated converter operates in three modes 1) AC plug-in charging mode, 2) boost mode supplying power from the battery to the electrical bus and 3) buck mode supplying power from the electrical bus to the battery. The integrated converter utilizes the same single inductor during each of the three operating modes to reduce cost and weight of the system.

A charging system for simultaneously charging the batteries of a plurality of battery powered vehicles. The charging includes one or more DC-DC power converters having one or more charging ports configured to plug into the batteries. The DC-DC power converters are each configured to selectively connect to more than one charging port to selectively provide for higher port power levels. The DC-DC power converters connect to an AC rectifier through a DC bus. The AC rectifier connects to an AC power source having a limited power rating. The AC charging system also has a controller that controls the operation of the DC-DC power converters such that the total power draw on the AC rectifier does not exceed the power rating. The system is further configured such that the DC-DC power converters can drain selected batteries to obtain power for charging other batteries, thus allowing for batteries to be cycled.

At a battery exchange station a discharged battery is removed and a charged battery is inserted into an electric vehicle. The battery exchange station has various mechanisms to make this exchange. In some embodiments, the batteries are stored in a warehouse, where they are given an appropriate amount of charge. The charged batteries are moved from the warehouse by an automated robotic mechanism. The automated robotic system provides the charged battery to a battery exchange system which inserts the charged battery into the vehicle after it removes the discharged battery from the vehicle. The insertion and removal of the battery is done vertically, i.e., into and out of the bottom of the vehicle. The battery exchange system is located in a service bay under the vehicle. A sliding door system creates an opening above the service bay. The opening is of variable size depending on the size of the vehicle.

A metering device that allows the two-way exchange of electrical energy between the power grid and electric vehicles by giving customers the option to upload electrical energy from their vehicle's electrical power system to the power grid or to another vehicle, or the option to download electrical energy from the power grid or another vehicle, to charge their vehicle's electric storage system, depending on the current market price of electricity. This allows users to both buy and sell electricity as a commodity to offset their fuel costs and to generate income. The metering device and the associated server may maintain a database of the user's preferences and identification. The metering device may allow customers to upload and sell electricity from their vehicles during peak, high cost, energy consumption periods, download and buy electricity to their vehicles during low energy, low cost, consumption periods, or algorithmically engage in bi-directional transfer depending on the user's preferences and other variables (see [0043]) in order to maximize the customer's monetary returns and minimize the customer's monetary expenses.

The present invention relates to a microprocessor controlled battery management system that optimizes the total electrical capacity of that battery. It uses localized cell power sources that correct the capacity of the individual connected cells to achieve the maximum capacity of the battery as it acts in a synergistic series connection of cells. The microprocessor retrieves data of battery load current, cell voltage, cell temperature, and battery charger current in timed increments. Through the application of the microprocessor's algorithms, after an initial cell profiling of individual cell capacities has been performed, individual cell DC / DC converters are enabled to correct the condition of the individual cells. In this manner the battery capacity is not affected by the capacity of the weakest cell.

A system and method for determining and balancing state of charge among plural series connected electrical energy storage units is provided. State of change of a selected storage unit in a string of storage units is determined by (i) applying a non-dissipative load to the selected storage unit, resulting in an energy transfer between the selected storage unit and the string of electrical energy storage units through the non-dissipative load and (ii) determining the state of charge of the selected unit from voltage and current data of the selected storage unit resulting from the energy transfer. When the state of charge of the selected unit is different than a target state of charge, energy can be transferred between the selected unit and the string of storage units, such that the state of charge of the selected unit converges toward the target state of charge.

A system and method of balancing state of charge among plural series connected electrical energy storage unit is provided. Individual storage units are selectively coupled by semiconductor switches for monitoring and balancing state of charge. When the state of charge of a selected unit is greater than a target state of charge, energy is transferred from the selected unit to the string of storage units, such that the state of charge of the selected unit converges toward the target state of charge. Conversely, when the state of charge of a selected unit is less than a target state of charge, energy is transferred from the string of storage units to the selected unit, such that the state of charge of the selected unit converges toward the target state of charge.

An integrated and isolated onboard charger for plug-in electric vehicles, includes an ac-dc converter and a dual-output dc-dc resonant converter, for both HV traction batteries and LV loads. In addition, the integrated and isolated onboard charger may be configured as unidirectional or bidirectional, and is capable of delivering power from HV traction batteries to the grid for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications. To increase the power density of the converter, the dual-output DC-DC resonant converter may combine magnetic components of resonant networks into a single three-winding electromagnetically integrated transformer (EMIT). The resonant converter may be configured as a half-bridge topology with split capacitors as the resonant network components to further reduce the size of converter. The integrated charger may be configured for various operating modes, including grid to vehicle (G2V), vehicle to grid (V2G) and high voltage to low voltage, HV-to-LV (H2L) charging.

A battery state monitoring portion intermittently monitors the low voltage battery for supplying power to electrical components arranged in a vehicle while the power supply to the low voltage system load other than a +B load is stopped, a DCDC converter is stopped, and a +B power supply mode in which the vehicle cannot travel is set. A charging control portion starts up the DCDC converter and charges the low voltage battery with the power of a high voltage battery as a power source of the vehicle through the DCDC converter when the voltage of the low voltage battery becomes lower than or equal to a charging start voltage when the +B power supply mode is set. The present invention can be applied to a charging device of a battery of an electric vehicle.

A system and method is provided for charging an auxiliary battery in a plug-in electric vehicle with an onboard charging system. The auxiliary battery has a predetermined operating range of charge levels. The auxiliary battery is charged to an upper charge level using an external power source thereby reducing energy used from the onboard charging system to charge the auxiliary battery during a drive mode of the vehicle. The upper charge level may be substantially similar to an upper level of the predetermined operating range of charge levels or greater than the predetermined operating range of charge levels. The auxiliary battery may be allowed to discharge to a lower charge level, which may be substantially similar to a lower level of the predetermined operating range of charge levels or less than the predetermined operating range of charge levels.

A traction inverter circuit includes a first energy storage device configured to output a DC voltage, a first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter coupled to the first energy storage device, and a first electromechanical device. The first electromechanical device includes a first plurality of conductors coupled to the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter, a second plurality of conductors coupled together, and a plurality of windings coupled between the first plurality of conductors and the second plurality of conductors. The traction converter circuit also includes a charge bus comprising a first conductor coupled to the second plurality of conductors of the first electromechanical device, the charge bus configured to transmit a charging current to or receive a charging current from the first electromechanical device to charge the first energy storage device via the first electromechanical device and the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter.

The invention is a method and system to provide negative torque to an electric vehicle (EV, FCEV, hybrid electric powertrain (HEV)) powertrain when only the electric motor is engaged and the accelerator pedal is released with the ultimate objective to provide consistent vehicle performance under varying operating conditions. This deceleration is at a calibratable amount for a calibratable time period using a hierarchical strategy employing a variety of means including dissipating the vehicle's kinetic energy as heat in the motor; regenerative braking; and activating a mechanical braking system. This negative torque on the powertrain is provided only briefly thereby reducing the total kinetic energy dissipation. The invention provides the driver a vehicle deceleration response similar in "feel" to releasing the accelerator of a conventional ICE vehicle under all operating modes, while maintaining optimal energy recovery.

The embodiments described herein relate to a reconfigurable energy storage system. In one embodiment, the reconfigurable energy storage system comprises a first energy storage system, a second energy storage system and a power converter. The power converter determines a first power level, a second power level and a load coupled to the power converter and manipulates the power transfer between the energy storage systems based on the first power level, the second power level and the load. In another embodiment, the reconfigurable energy storage system also comprises a third energy storage system. In this embodiment, the power converter determines a third power level corresponding to the third energy storage system and manipulates the power transfer between the energy storage systems based also on the third power level. The third power level may correspond to a state of charge of the third energy storage element or amount of power generated by the third energy storage system.

A brake apparatus for a vehicle generally sets an upper limit value of regenerative braking force to the maximum value of the regenerative braking force which can be generated at the present. In the case of a front-wheel-drive vehicle, the total braking force, the sum of front-wheel braking force (front-wheel hydraulic braking force+regenerative braking force) and rear-wheel braking force (rear-wheel hydraulic braking force), is rendered coincident with a target braking force corresponding to a brake pedal depressing force, and the regenerative braking force is set to a largest possible value equal to or less than the upper limit value. As a result, the regenerative braking force can be larger than front-wheel-side target distribution braking force. The upper limit value is decreased from the maximum value by an amount corresponding to the degree of easiness of occurrence of a locking tendency at the driven wheels (front wheels).

Provided is a switching power supply unit being able to perform voltage conversion between two DC power supplies, and perform appropriate charge operation based on an inputted AC voltage. When a main battery is preferentially charged, an SW control section performs control such that a duty ratio is fixed in switching operation of a switching circuit, and a duty ratio is variable in switching operation of a bidirectional switching circuit. On the other hand, when an accessory battery is preferentially charged, the SW control section performs control such that a duty ratio is variable in switching operation of each of the switching circuit and the bidirectional switching circuit. When the accessory battery is preferentially charged, the SW control section may perform control such that the duty ratio is fixed in switching operation of the switching circuit, and a duty ratio is variable in switching operation of a switching element.

A method and apparatus that allows the end user to optimize the performance of an all-electric or hybrid vehicle and its charging system for a desired mode of operation is provided. The system of the invention includes multiple charging / operational modes from which the user may select. Each charging / operational mode controls the cut-off voltage used during charging and the maintenance temperature of the battery pack.

An object is to provide a moving object structure capable of reducing power loss caused when power is supplied from a power feeding device to a moving object by wireless communication. Another object is to provide a moving object structure capable of reducing the strength of a radio wave radiated to the surroundings. Before power is supplied to a moving object, a radio wave for alignment of antennas is output from a power feeding device. That is, radio waves are output from a power feeding device in two stages. In a first stage, a radio wave is output to align positions of antennas of the power feeding device and the moving object. In a second stage, a radio wave is output to supply power from the power feeding device to the moving object.

When an ignition key is turned ON, a control apparatus predicts the arrival time to a chargeable location (such as home). When the control apparatus determines that the expected arrival time is in the nighttime, it sets SOC control upper and lower limit values for an EV traveling-importance mode that are lower than SOC control upper and lower limit values for an HV traveling-importance mode, and controls an SOC of a battery based on the upper and lower limit values.

A vehicle propulsion includes an alternating current (AC) traction drive, a first energy storage system electrically coupled to the traction drive through a direct current (DC) link, a second energy storage system electrically coupled to the traction drive such that the voltage output from the second energy storage system is decoupled from the DC link using a bi-directional boost converter, and an energy management system configured to control said first and second energy storage systems when the vehicle is operating in at least one of a pre-charge mode and a normal operation mode with the traction drive system enabled.

A discharge circuit for a DC power supply smoothing capacitor that is used in a power conversion device that supplies DC power via a switch to the DC power supply smoothing capacitor and an inverter, includes; a resistor that discharges charge in the capacitor; a switch connected in series with the resistor, that either passes or intercepts discharge current flowing from the capacitor to the resistor; a measurement circuit that measures a terminal voltage of the capacitor; and a control circuit that controls continuity and discontinuity of the switch; wherein the control circuit, after having made the switch continuous and starting discharge of the capacitor by the resistor, if a terminal voltage of the capacitor as measured by the measurement circuit exceeds a voltage decrease characteristic set in advance, makes the switch discontinuous and stops discharge by the resistor.

A vehicle propulsion includes an alternating current (AC) traction drive, a first energy storage system electrically coupled to the traction drive through a direct current (DC) link, a second energy storage system electrically coupled to the traction drive such that the voltage output from the second energy storage system is decoupled from the DC link using a bidirectional boost converter, and an energy management system configured to control said first and second energy storage systems when the vehicle is operating in at least one of a pre-charge mode and a normal operation mode with the traction drive system enabled.

The present invention relates to variable speed constant frequency (VSCF) devices and methods for maximizing engine generator efficiency. In one embodiment, a VSCF device may include at least two paths for conducting power to the load. One path, a line inductor path, may advantageously incur minimal power loss when the engine generator is supplying rated power to a load. A second path, a VSCF path, may be used to ensure that the frequency of the power is maintained at a substantially constant frequency under various load conditions. Another embodiment of the invention describes a process for determining optimal engine generator speed for a particular load. Because engine speed can be varied using any VSCF device, this process determines a speed that minimizes fuel consumption, emissions, and noise pollution for a given load.

A system and method are provided for the collaborative charging of electric vehicles. The collaborative charging manages the disbursement of power from a neighborhood transformer so as to increase the efficiency of electric vehicle charging at the residences without significantly altering the existing power distribution and residential infrastructures. Time-flexible loads are shed in order to efficiently allocate energy distribution without compromising the comfort or security of the user. The identities of individual residential power demands can be concealed to protect the user's privacy or made available to further optimize power allocation. The power allocation negotiation may be performed in a residential local demand management client separate from the residential charging station.

An electric power converter includes a capacitor, a bridge circuit that includes a plurality of switching elements, a transformer, a secondary side rectifier circuit, a smoothing circuit, a detector that detects a value based on at least one of a capacitor voltage and a current flowing from the capacitor, and a control device that outputs a primary side drive signal to turns on / off each of the plurality of switching elements at a switching frequency, the control device increasing the switching frequency when the detected value increases, the control device reducing the switching frequency when the detected value decreases.

A power management apparatus is provided. The apparatus is configured to connect a plurality of DC power elements to a plurality of AC power elements and includes a DC interface module connected to the plurality of DC power elements, a bi-directional AC-DC converter connected to the DC interface module, and an AC interface module connected to the bi-directional AC-DC converter and the AC power elements.

A switch / power conditioning module may be added to a hybrid vehicle to selectively supply power from an AC power bus to a load, providing on-vehicle standby power generating capability with a minimum of added hardware and / or when the vehicle is stationary.

A DC power supply apparatus includes a charging circuit, which charges a secondary battery of a vehicle from an AC power source device or a DC power source device. The charging circuit includes a non-insulating converter circuit and an insulating converter circuit. A breaker relay disconnects the AC power source device and the charging circuit in an initial charging period to supply a large charging current to the secondary battery by the non-insulating converter circuit. As a result, charging can be performed with high efficiency without the insulation transformer. The breaker relay connects the AC power source device and the charging circuit after the initial charging period. Only the insulating converter circuit supplies the charging current to the secondary battery. Thus, adverse effect of stray capacitance of a circuit of the vehicle can be eliminated.

A fluid drive system that can be used to drive a vehicle and has energy regeneration and storage capabilities. The fluid drive system includes an electrical energy supply source mounted on the vehicle, at least one electrical motor electrically connected to the electrical supply source, and a hydraulic pump driven that may be of the variable displacement type by the electrical motor. The fluid drive system may also include a low pressure hydraulic fluid supply tank supplying fluid to the hydraulic pump, at least one pneumatically charged accumulator tank for storing pressurized hydraulic fluid, a combination hydraulic motor and pump that may also be of the variable displacement type being alternately driven by the hydraulic pump and the pneumatically charged accumulator tank; and an electrical regeneration system for regenerating the electrical energy supply. The electrical regeneration system may be powered by hydraulic fluid from the combination electrical motor and pump. The combination hydraulic motor and pump propels the vehicle during acceleration and speed maintaining operations and may also serves as a braking mechanism during deceleration of the vehicle. The combination hydraulic motor and pump may also pump hydraulic fluid into the pneumatically charged accumulator tank during at least a portion of the time that the vehicle is decelerating. The combination hydraulic motor and pump may further pump hydraulic fluid for powering the electrical regeneration system when the pneumatically charged accumulator tank is fully pressurized. The electrical regeneration system also has the ability to recharge the electrical energy supply while the vehicle is stopped using stored recovered kinetic energy.