JP2010268585A - Vehicle charge control system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle charge control system which easily starts charging a battery of a vehicle without fail in a low-rate time. <P>SOLUTION: The vehicle charge control system 1 is constituted of: a night/immediate switch 5, an information storage part 14 which stores attribute information, and a control part 6 which immediately starts charging the battery of the vehicle when the night/immediate switch 5 indicates "immediate charging", immediately starts charging the battery of the vehicle when the night/immediate switch 5 indicates "night charging", and also when the "attribute information" shows that the electricity rates are not reduced in the time zone, and starts charging the battery of the vehicle within the time zone when the night/immediate switch 5 indicates the "immediate charging", and also when the "attribute information" shows that the electricity rates are reduced in the time zone. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle charge control system that performs battery charge control of a vehicle such as a PHV (Plug in Hybrid Vehicle) or an EV (Electric Vehicle).

  When a user charges a vehicle battery such as a PHV or EV at a home charging station at home, charging may be performed at night when the electricity charge is low in order to reduce the charging cost (for example, Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2 or Patent Document 3).

Some conventional vehicle charging control systems include a timer for starting charging in a home charging station at a time when electricity charges are reduced.
However, in such a vehicle charging control system, it is necessary for the user to set a timer so that charging is started at a time when the electricity charge is cheap, after understanding the electricity charge plan at home. Such an operation is considerably troublesome for the user, and in some cases, the timer is set incorrectly, and there is a possibility that charging cannot be started in a time zone when the electricity bill is reduced.

JP-A-8-214412 JP-A-7-1111736 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-123599

  An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle charging control system that can easily start battery charging of a vehicle in a time zone in which the electricity bill is reduced without failure.

  A vehicle charge control system according to the present invention is a vehicle charge control system that performs battery charge control of a vehicle, and is provided in the vehicle, and is in one of a state indicating reserved charging or a state indicating immediate charging by a user operation. A switch that enters a state, a storage means that stores information indicating whether or not the electricity bill will be reduced depending on the time period, and a charging plug connected to the vehicle when the switch is in a state indicating the immediate charging. Information stored in the storage means that the battery charging of the vehicle is started immediately, the switch is in a state indicating the reserved charging, and the electricity charge is not reduced in the reserved charging time zone. If the charging plug is connected to the vehicle, the battery charging of the vehicle is immediately started in the same manner as the immediate charging, and the switch is The charging plug is connected to the vehicle when it is determined from the information stored in the storage means that the charging charge is in a state indicating the reserved charging and the electricity charge is reduced in the reserved charging time zone And a system control means for starting battery charging of the vehicle in the reserved charging time zone when the electricity rate is reduced.

  Thereby, the user can set whether to start the battery charging of the vehicle or to immediately start the battery charging of the vehicle in a time zone in which the electricity bill is reduced by only a simple operation of the switch. Further, since the user does not need to set the operation start timing of the battery charging of the vehicle, the battery charging is not started outside the time zone when the electricity charge is reduced due to a setting error of the timer.

The system control means may be provided in the vehicle.
The system control means may be provided in a charging station that supplies electric power from a commercial power source to the vehicle via the charging plug.

  According to the present invention, battery charging of a vehicle such as a PHV or EV can be easily started without failure in a time zone when the electricity charge is reduced.

It is a figure which shows the vehicle charge control system of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the mode of charge in the example of installation of a night / immediate switch, and the vehicle charge control system of 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of the system control part of the vehicle side charge control apparatus in the vehicle charge control system of 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of the system control part of the charge station side charge control apparatus in the vehicle charge control system of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the vehicle charge control system of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of the system control part of the vehicle side charge control apparatus in the vehicle charge control system of 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of the system control part of the charge station side charge control apparatus in the vehicle charge control system of 2nd Embodiment.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a vehicle charge control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
A vehicle charge control system 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a vehicle side charge control device 2 provided in a vehicle such as PHV and EV, and a charge station side charge control device 3 provided in a home charging station or a public charging station. And a power meter side charge control device 4 provided in a household power meter or a public power meter.

The vehicle-side charge control device 2 includes a night / immediate switch 5 (switch), a system control unit 6 (system control means), a communication unit 7, and a charge control unit 8.
The system control unit 6 includes a timer 9.

The charging control unit 8 includes a relay 10 and a relay driving unit 11.
The charging station side charging control device 3 includes a system control unit 12 (system control means), a meter linkage unit 13, an information storage unit 14, a communication unit 15, and a charging control unit 16.

  The charging control unit 16 includes a relay 17, a relay driving unit 18, a cable 19, and a plug 20 (charging plug). One end of the cable 19 is connected to the relay 17, and the other end of the cable 19 is connected to the plug 20. After the plug 20 is connected to the relay 10 of the vehicle side charging control device 2 by the user, when the relays 10 and 17 are respectively turned on, the vehicle is connected from the commercial power source via the charging station side charging control device 3 and the vehicle side charging control device 2. Electric power is supplied to the battery, and charging of the vehicle battery is started.

The power meter side charging control device 4 includes a meter linkage unit 21 and an information storage unit 22.
The system control unit 6 is, for example, a microprocessor or the like that controls the operation of the entire vehicle-side charging control device 2, and is described later by executing a program read from a memory (not shown), for example. Alternatively, the operation of the flowchart of FIG. 6 is performed.

  Further, the system control unit 12 controls the overall operation of the charging station side charging control device 3, for example, a microprocessor and the like, which will be described later by executing a program read from a memory (not shown), for example. Alternatively, the operation of the flowchart of FIG. 7 is performed.

  Further, as described above, part or all of the operations of the flowcharts described later may be realized by executing a program in the system control unit 6 or the system control unit 12, or may be realized by the system control unit 6 or the system control. It may be realized by hardware provided in the unit 12.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an installation example of the night / immediate switch 5 and a state of charging in the vehicle charging control system 1.
As shown in FIG. 2, the night / immediate switch 5 may be installed on a console near the handle 24 in the vehicle 23 such as a PHV or EV. Thus, when the night / immediate switch 5 is installed on the console near the handle 24, the driver of the vehicle 23 can easily operate the night / immediate switch 5. Further, the night / immediate switch 5 is constituted by, for example, a push button. When the user presses the switch, the night / immediate switch 5 is turned on and becomes “night charge (reserved charge)”. In addition, when the night / immediate switch 5 is pressed again by the user, the night / immediate switch 5 is turned off and becomes “instantaneous charging”. That is, the night / immediate switch 5 is selected by the user as one of the state indicating “night charge” and the state indicating “immediate charge”.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, an electricity bill plan for a commercial power source from the power meter 25 to the charging station 26 (for example, an electricity bill plan or a household indicating that the bill is always constant in the case of a commercial commercial power source). In the case of commercial power supply, the “electricity rate information” indicating that the nighttime electricity rate will be cheaper than the daytime electricity rate is transmitted and generated based on the “electricity rate information” "Characteristic information" (for example, when the electricity charge of the commercial power supply is reduced depending on the time zone, a flag is set and information indicating the time zone is included) and the "electricity fee information" are held in the charging station 26. The The “attribute information” is transmitted to the vehicle 23 side, and is used for controlling the start timing of battery charging of the vehicle 23.

  That is, first, when an “electricity charge information request” is transmitted from the meter cooperation unit 13 of the charging station side charge control device 3 shown in FIG. 1 to the meter cooperation unit 21 of the power meter side charge control device 4, the meter cooperation unit 21 Extracts “electricity charge information” from the information storage unit 22 and transmits the “electricity charge information” to the meter link unit 13. Communication at this time may be performed wirelessly or may be performed by wire.

  Next, the system control unit 12 of the charging station side charge control device 3 stores the “electricity rate information” received by the meter cooperation unit 13 in the information storage unit 14 and also “attribute information” based on the “electricity rate information”. ”And the“ attribute information ”are also stored in the information storage unit 14. Further, when “attribute information request” is sent from the vehicle-side charge control device 2, the system control unit 12 takes out “attribute information” from the information storage unit 14 and sends the “attribute information” to the vehicle-side charge control device 2. Send. Communication at this time may be performed wirelessly or may be performed by wire. When wired, the communication units 7 and 15 may be connected to each other by passing the communication line through the cable 19 and the plug 20.

  Then, the system control unit 6 of the vehicle side charging control device 2 determines the start timing of battery charging of the vehicle 23 based on the state indicated by the night / immediate switch 5 and the “attribute information” transmitted from the charging station 26. Control.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the system control unit 6 of the vehicle side charge control device 2 in the vehicle charge control system 1 of the first embodiment.
First, when it is determined that the plug 20 is connected to the vehicle 23 (Yes in S11), the system control unit 6 determines whether or not the night / immediate switch 5 is in a state indicating “night charge” (S12).

  When it is determined that the night / immediate switch 5 is not in a state indicating “night charge”, that is, the night / immediate switch 5 is in a state indicating “immediate charge” (No in S12), the system controller 6 A "start request" is transmitted to the charging station side charging control device 3 via the communication unit 7 (S18), and a control signal for turning on the relay 10 is sent to the relay driving unit 11 of the charging control unit 8 (S19). As a result, both the relay 10 of the vehicle side charging control device 2 and the relay 17 of the charging station side charging control device 3 are turned on, so that the battery charging of the vehicle 23 is started. That is, when the night / immediate switch 5 indicates “immediate charging”, when the plug 20 is connected to the vehicle 23, charging is started immediately.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the night / immediate switch 5 is in a state indicating “night charge” (S12 is Yes), the system control unit 6 sends “attribute information request” via the communication unit 7 to the charging station side charge control. It is transmitted to the apparatus 3 (S13), and it is determined whether or not “attribute information” has been received (S14).

  When it is determined that the “attribute information” has been received (S14 is Yes), the system control unit 6 determines whether or not the electricity charge of the commercial power supply is reduced depending on the time zone based on the “attribute information” (S15). ). For example, when the flag in the “attribute information” is set, the system control unit 6 determines that the electricity charge is reduced in the reserved charging time zone, and when the flag in the “attribute information” is not set, the electric charge is Judge that it will not be cheaper in the reserved charging time zone.

  When it is determined that the electricity rate is not cheap depending on the time zone (S15 is No), the system control unit 6 proceeds to S18. As a result, both the relay 10 of the vehicle side charging control device 2 and the relay 17 of the charging station side charging control device 3 are turned on, so that the battery charging of the vehicle 23 is started. That is, when the night / immediate switch 5 indicates “night charge” and the electricity charge is not cheap depending on the time zone, the charging starts immediately when the plug 20 is connected to the vehicle 23.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the electricity rate is cheaper depending on the time zone (Yes in S15), the system control unit 6 sets and starts the timer 9 based on the time zone in which the electricity rate is cheaper included in the “attribute information”. (S16). Note that the timer 9 informs the user when the time for the electricity charge is low. For example, the timer 9 may be configured to count the time from the current time to the time when the electricity rate starts to be reduced, and notify the end of the count, or at the time when the electricity rate starts to be reduced. Then, you may comprise so that it may notify.

  If it is determined that there is notification from the timer 9 (Yes in S17), the system control unit 6 proceeds to S18. As a result, both the relay 10 of the vehicle side charging control device 2 and the relay 17 of the charging station side charging control device 3 are turned on, so that the battery charging of the vehicle 23 is started. That is, when the night / immediate switch 5 is in the state of “night charge” and the electricity charge is cheaper depending on the time zone, when the plug 20 is connected to the vehicle 23, it waits until the time when the electricity charge becomes cheaper. Then, battery charging of the vehicle 23 is started.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the system control unit 12 of the charging station side charging control device 3 in the vehicle charging control system 1 of the first embodiment.
First, when the system control unit 12 determines that the “attribute information request” transmitted from the vehicle-side charge control device 2 has been received (S21 is Yes), the “attribute information” stored in the information storage unit 14 is stored. It transmits to the vehicle side charge control apparatus 2 via the communication part 15 (S22).

Next, the system control unit 12 determines whether or not a “charge start request” has been received (S23).
When it is determined that the “charge start request” has been received (S23 is Yes), the system control unit 12 sends a control signal for turning on the relay 17 to the relay drive unit 18 of the charge control unit 16 (S24). As a result, the relay 17 is turned on.

  Thus, in the vehicle charging control system 1 of the first embodiment, when the plug 20 is connected to the vehicle 23 when the night / immediate switch 5 is in a state indicating “immediate charging”, the battery charging of the vehicle 23 is performed. Even when the night / immediate switch 5 indicates “night charge”, the plug 20 is attached to the vehicle 23 when the “attribute information” indicates that the electricity charge is not cheap depending on the time zone. When connected, the battery 23 of the vehicle 23 is started immediately, the night / immediate switch 5 is in a state indicating “night charge”, and the “attribute information” indicates that the electricity charge is reduced depending on the time zone. When the plug 20 is connected to the vehicle 23 at this time, since the battery charging of the vehicle 23 is started in the time zone when the electricity charge is reduced, the user can It is not necessary to be familiar with gold, and the battery charge of the vehicle 23 is started in the time zone when the electricity charge is reduced or the battery charge of the vehicle 23 is started immediately by simple operation of the night / immediate switch 5. Can be set.

  Further, according to the vehicle charging control system 1 of the first embodiment, since the user does not need to set the timer 9, the battery charging is started outside the time zone when the electricity charge is reduced due to the setting error of the timer 9. Nothing will happen.

  Moreover, according to the vehicle charge control system 1 of the first embodiment, when the electricity charge is not cheap depending on the time zone, the battery charge of the vehicle 23 is immediately started. There is no need to think about whether it will be cheaper or not.

Further, according to the vehicle charging control system 1 of the first embodiment, since the timer 9 is set every time the plug 20 is connected to the vehicle 23, the timer 9 that accompanies a change in the electricity bill plan of the commercial power source. There is no need for the user to reset the settings.
<Second Embodiment>
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a vehicle charge control system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  In the vehicle charge control system 27 of the second embodiment, the difference from the vehicle charge control system 1 of the first embodiment is that the timer 9 provided in the system control unit 6 of the vehicle side charge control device 2 is omitted. The timer 9 is provided in the system control unit 12 of the charging station side charging control device 3. Note that the system control unit 12 in the vehicle charge control system 27 of the second embodiment may not generate “attribute information”.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the system control unit 6 of the vehicle side charge control device 2 in the vehicle charge control system 27 of the second embodiment.
First, when the system control unit 6 determines that the plug 20 is connected to the vehicle 23 side (Yes in S31), the “switch state information” indicating the state of the night / immediate switch 5 is transmitted via the communication unit 7 to the charging station side. It transmits to the charge control apparatus 3 (S32).

Next, the system control unit 6 determines whether or not a “charging start notification” has been received (S33).
When it is determined that the “charge start notification” has been received (Yes in S33), the system control unit 6 sends a control signal for turning on the relay 10 to the relay drive unit 11 of the charge control unit 8 (S34). As a result, the relay 10 is turned on.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the system control unit 12 of the charging station side charging control device 3 in the vehicle charging control system 27 of the second embodiment.
First, when the system control unit 12 determines that the “switch state information” transmitted from the vehicle-side charge control device 2 has been received (Yes in S41), the system control unit 12 determines the night / It is determined whether or not the immediate switch 5 is in a state indicating “night charge” (S42).

  When it is determined that the night / immediate switch 5 is not in a state indicating “night charge”, that is, the night / immediate switch 5 is in a state indicating “immediate charge” (No in S42), the system control unit 12 reads “charge “Start notification” is transmitted to the vehicle-side charge control device 2 via the communication unit 15 (S46), and a control signal for turning on the relay 17 is sent to the relay drive unit 18 of the charge control unit 16 (S47). As a result, both the relay 10 of the vehicle side charging control device 2 and the relay 17 of the charging station side charging control device 3 are turned on, so that the battery charging of the vehicle 23 is started. That is, when the plug 20 is connected to the vehicle 23 side when the night / immediate switch 5 indicates “immediate charging”, charging is started immediately.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the night / immediate switch 5 is in a state indicating “night charge” (S42 is Yes), the system control unit 12 determines that the “electricity rate information” stored in the information storage unit 14 It is determined whether or not the electricity charge of the commercial power supply is reduced depending on the time zone (S43). For example, when the “electricity charge information” indicates that the electricity rate varies depending on the time zone, the system control unit 12 determines that the electricity rate is reduced in the reserved charging time zone, and the electricity rate varies depending on the time zone. If it is indicated in the “electricity charge information” that they are not different, it is determined that the electricity charge is not cheap during the reserved charging time zone.

  When it is determined that the electricity charge is not cheap depending on the time zone (S43: No), the system control unit 12 proceeds to S46. As a result, both the relay 10 of the vehicle side charging control device 2 and the relay 17 of the charging station side charging control device 3 are turned on, so that the battery charging of the vehicle 23 is started. That is, when the night / immediate switch 5 indicates “night charge” and the electricity charge is not cheap depending on the time zone, the charging starts immediately when the plug 20 is connected to the vehicle 23.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the electricity rate is reduced according to the time zone (S43 is Yes), the system control unit 12 sets the timer 9 based on the time zone included in the “electricity rate information” where the electricity rate is reduced. Start up (S44).

  If it is determined that there is notification from the timer 9 (S45 is Yes), the system control unit 12 proceeds to S46. As a result, both the relay 10 of the vehicle side charging control device 2 and the relay 17 of the charging station side charging control device 3 are turned on, so that the battery charging of the vehicle 23 is started. That is, when the night / immediate switch 5 is in the state of “night charge” and the electricity charge is reduced depending on the time zone, when the plug 20 is connected to the vehicle 23, the standby time is reached until the electricity charge is reduced. Then, battery charging of the vehicle 23 is started.

  As described above, in the vehicle charging control system 27 of the second embodiment, when the night / immediate switch 5 indicates “immediate charging” as in the vehicle charging control system 1 of the first embodiment, the plug 20 is When connected to the vehicle 23, the battery charge of the vehicle 23 is immediately started, and even if the night / immediate switch 5 indicates “night charge”, the electricity charge may not be reduced depending on the time zone. When the plug 20 is connected to the vehicle 23, the battery charging of the vehicle 23 is immediately started, the night / immediate switch 5 is in a state indicating "night charge", and When the “electricity charge information” indicates that the charge is reduced according to the time zone, if the plug 20 is connected to the vehicle 23, the battery charge of the vehicle 23 is reduced during the time zone when the electricity charge is reduced. Therefore, the user does not need to be familiar with the electricity charge of the commercial power supply, and starts charging the battery of the vehicle 23 in a time zone where the electricity charge is reduced by simply operating the night / immediate switch 5. It is possible to set whether to start charging the battery of the vehicle 23 immediately.

  Further, according to the vehicle charge control system 27 of the second embodiment, the user need not set the operation time of the timer 9 as in the case of the vehicle charge control system 1 of the first embodiment. As a result, the battery charging is not started outside the time period when the electricity bill is reduced.

  Moreover, according to the vehicle charge control system 27 of the second embodiment, as in the vehicle charge control system 1 of the first embodiment, when the electricity bill is not cheap depending on the time zone, the battery charge of the vehicle 23 is immediately started. Since it is a structure, the user does not need to consider whether an electricity bill becomes cheap by a time slot | zone.

  Moreover, according to the vehicle charge control system 27 of the second embodiment, the timer 9 is set every time the plug 20 is connected to the vehicle 23, as in the vehicle charge control system 1 of the first embodiment. Therefore, it is not necessary for the user to reset the timer 9 in accordance with the change in the electricity bill plan for the commercial power supply.

  Moreover, according to the vehicle charge control system 27 of the second embodiment, since the charge start timing is controlled in the charge station side charge control device 3, the first charge start timing is controlled in the vehicle side charge control device 2. Compared with the vehicle charge control system 1 of the embodiment, the configuration of the vehicle side charge control device 2 can be simplified.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle charge control system 2 Vehicle side charge control apparatus 3 Charging station side charge control apparatus 4 Electric power meter side charge control apparatus 5 Night / immediate switch 6 System control part 7 Communication part 8 Charge control part 9 Timer 10 Relay 11 Relay drive part 12 System control unit 13 Meter link unit 14 Information storage unit 15 Communication unit 16 Charge control unit 17 Relay 18 Relay drive unit 19 Cable 20 Plug 21 Meter link unit 22 Information storage unit 23 Vehicle 24 Handle 25 Power meter 26 Charging station 27 Vehicle charge control system

Claims (3)

A vehicle charge control system for performing vehicle battery charge control,
A switch that is provided in the vehicle and is in one of a state indicating reserved charging or a state indicating immediate charging by a user operation;
Storage means for storing in advance information indicating whether or not the electricity bill is cheaper depending on the time zone;
When the switch is in a state indicating the immediate charging, when a charging plug is connected to the vehicle, the battery charging of the vehicle is immediately started, and the switch is in a state indicating the reserved charging, and When it is determined from the information stored in the storage means that the electricity rate is not cheap in the reserved charging time zone, when the charging plug is connected to the vehicle, the battery of the vehicle is similar to the immediate charging. When it is determined from the information stored in the storage means that charging is started immediately, the switch is in a state indicating the reserved charging, and the electricity charge is reduced in the reserved charging time zone, System control means for starting battery charging of the vehicle in the reserved charging time zone when the charge for electricity is reduced when the charging plug is connected to the vehicle;
A vehicle charging control system comprising: The vehicle charge control system according to claim 1,
The vehicle control system is characterized in that the system control means is provided in the vehicle. The vehicle charge control system according to claim 1,
The system control means is provided in a charging station that supplies electric power from a commercial power source to the vehicle via the charging plug.

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