JP2012055115A - Charge controller and charge control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve convenience by increasing an information amount of which a user is notified.SOLUTION: The charge controller 1 of an embodiment, in performing charging based on reservation information including charging start time and finish time, notifies a notification section 8 of a prediction result of electric energy amount chargeable by the time of charging finish. Accordingly, the charge controller 1 can improve convenience by increasing the information amount of which the user is notified compared to a conventional case.

Description

  The present invention relates to a charge control device and a charge control system that control charging of a charging device such as an electric vehicle.

  As a conventional example, there is a charge control device described in Patent Document 1. The conventional device described in Patent Document 1 charges a battery (storage battery) of an electric vehicle, and checks whether there is an abnormality in the temperature of the battery or an internal relay when a charging start time is set, If an abnormality is detected, charging is stopped and the abnormality is notified. Furthermore, if no abnormality is detected, the conventional device checks again whether there is an abnormality when the charging start time is reached. If an abnormality is detected, charging is stopped and the abnormality is notified. If not detected, charging starts.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-123599

  However, in the above-described conventional example, the information notified to the user is only an abnormality such as the battery of the charging device or the charging control device or the electric vehicle. For example, the amount of charge that can be charged within the reserved time or the full charge Useful information such as the time required for the operation is not notified to the user, and the convenience is low.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a charge control device and a charge control system that increase the amount of information notified to the user and improve convenience.

  The charging control apparatus of the present invention predicts the amount of power that can be charged by the end time when performing charging based on reservation information including the start time and end time of charging, and the prediction result of the prediction means. Informing means for informing is provided.

  In this charging control device, input receiving means for receiving input of the reservation information, storage means for storing the reservation information received by the input receiving means, and information on the remaining capacity and battery capacity of the storage battery to be charged are acquired. An information acquisition unit; the prediction unit that predicts the amount of power that can be charged; a power amount calculation unit that compares a power consumption amount obtained by subtracting the remaining capacity from the battery capacity and a prediction result of the power amount; It is preferable to provide the notifying means for notifying the comparison result by the power amount calculating means.

  This charging control apparatus preferably includes an abnormality detection unit that detects an abnormality relating to charging of the storage battery, and the detection unit notifies the detection result of the abnormality detection unit.

  In this charging control apparatus, it is preferable that the notification input notified by the notification unit is changed according to the operation input receiving unit that receives the operation input and the operation input received by the operation input receiving unit.

  In this charging control apparatus, it is preferable that the notification content notified by the notification means is periodically changed.

  In this charging control apparatus, it is preferable that the notification means notifies using characters, symbols, or the like.

  In this charging control apparatus, it is preferable that the notification means notifies by sound.

  The charge control system of the present invention includes the charge control device and a management device that manages reservation information including a start time and an end time of charge in the charge control device.

  The charge control device and the charge control system of the present invention have the effect that the amount of information notified to the user can be increased and the convenience can be improved.

It is a block diagram which shows embodiment of the charge control apparatus which concerns on this invention. The charging stand which mounts the same as above is shown. (A) is a front view, (b) is a perspective view with a part omitted, and (c) is a perspective view with a part omitted, with the door closed. is there. (a)-(c) is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the alerting | reporting content of the alerting | reporting part in the same as the above.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which a technical idea of the present invention is applied to a charging control device that controls charging of an electric vehicle will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the charging device targeted by the charging control apparatus to which the technical idea of the present invention is applicable is not limited to an electric vehicle, and may be a mobile device such as a mobile phone or a notebook personal computer. Absent.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the charging control device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a control unit 2, an outlet 3, a measurement unit 4, an information acquisition unit 5, an operation input reception unit 6, a storage unit 7, a notification unit 8, a communication unit 9, and the like. It has. The outlet 3 is connected to a commercial AC power source 200 via the measuring unit 4, and a power plug 102 provided at the tip of the charging cable 101 is detachably connected. The charging cable 101 is connected to the electric vehicle 100, and a charger mounted on the electric vehicle 100 is connected to a storage battery (battery) by AC power supplied from the commercial AC power source 200 via the outlet 3 of the charging control device 1. ). The measuring unit 4 measures current, voltage, and power supplied from the commercial AC power supply 200 to the electric vehicle 100 through the outlet 3 at predetermined intervals and outputs a measurement result (measured value) to the control unit 2.

  The information acquisition unit 5 acquires information (such as vehicle type, storage battery capacity and remaining capacity) transmitted from the electric vehicle 100 via the charging cable 101 and passes the information to the control unit 2. Information transmission from the electric vehicle 100 to the charging control apparatus 1 is performed by power line carrier communication using a power supply line, or via a transmission line provided separately from the power supply line. The operation input receiving unit 6 includes a touch panel, and receives reservation information input by a user (a user of the electric vehicle 100; the same applies hereinafter) and outputs the reservation information to the control unit 2 as described later. However, the operation input reception unit 6 is not limited to the touch panel, and may be a numeric keypad switch including a membrane switch.

  The control unit 2 includes a microcontroller, a memory, and the like, and implements various functions to be described later by executing a program stored in the memory by the microcontroller. The storage unit 7 includes a rewritable semiconductor memory such as a flash memory, and stores information acquired by the information acquisition unit 5 from the electric vehicle 100, reservation information received by the operation input reception unit 6, and the like. Note that writing and reading of these pieces of information is performed by the control unit 2.

  The notification unit 8 includes a display device such as a liquid crystal display or a light emitting diode, a driver circuit that is controlled by the control unit 2 to drive the display device, a speaker, and a drive circuit that is controlled by the control unit 2 to drive the speaker. Yes. The communication unit 9 encodes and modulates transmission data output from the control unit 2 and transmits the transmission data, and outputs received data obtained by demodulating and decoding the received signal to the control unit 2. Note that the communication medium used by the communication unit 9 for data communication may be either wired (communication cable) or wireless (radio wave).

  Fig.2 (a) has shown the external view (front view) of the charging stand X carrying the charge control apparatus of this embodiment. The charging stand X has one or a plurality (one in the illustrated example) of outlet units 11 and a stand body 10 in which the outlet unit 11 is housed, and is installed in, for example, a parking lot of an apartment house. The stand body 10 is formed in a rectangular tube shape by a metal plate as shown in FIG. 2A, and is erected on the ground such that the longitudinal direction is the vertical direction. The outlet unit 11 has an outer shell composed of a unit main body 12 formed in a box shape with an open front surface and a door 13 that closes the opening of the unit main body 12 in an openable and closable manner. The stand main body 10 has a plurality of unit storage portions (not shown) opened forward in parallel in the vertical direction.In the illustrated example, the outlet unit 11 is stored only in the uppermost unit storage portion. The remaining unit housing portion is closed with a cover 14.

  The display device (the liquid crystal display 80 and the light emitting diodes 81A, 81B, 81C) of the notification unit 8 is disposed at the top of the front surface of the stand body 10. Further, a touch panel (not shown) of the operation input receiving unit 6 is disposed on the surface of the liquid crystal display.

  An outlet (not shown) for the outlet 3 is arranged in the unit main body 12, and the power plug 102 of the charging cable 101 can be inserted and removed with the door 13 open as shown in FIG. 2 (b). ing. In addition, a notch 13A is provided in the lower part of the open end side of the door 13, and charging is performed through the notch 13A even when the power plug 102 is connected to the outlet 3 as shown in FIG. 2 (c). The door 13 is closed because the cable 102 is pulled out. In addition, although illustration is abbreviate | omitted, the door 13 is provided with the electric lock in which locking / unlocking is controlled by the control part 2, and is locked in the state which the door 13 closed.

  Here, reservation information received by the operation input receiving unit 6 and stored in the storage unit 7 will be described. The charging station X in this embodiment is shared by a plurality of users (for example, residents of an apartment house). Therefore, an identification code (user ID) is assigned to the user in advance, and the user needs to reserve the usage time of the charging station X using his / her user ID. For example, if a user commuting by electric vehicle charges the electric vehicle within the time from the return time to the departure time (the next sunrise work time), the return time is the start time and the departure time is the end time. A reservation application is input from the touch panel of the operation input receiving unit 6. The reservation information (user ID and start time and end time) received by the operation input receiving unit 6 is written into the storage unit 7 by the control unit 2.

  Next, operation | movement of the charge control apparatus 1 of this embodiment is demonstrated. When a reserved user charges the electric vehicle 100, first, the user's ID is input by operating the touch panel of the operation input receiving unit 6. When the operation input of the user ID is received by the operation input receiving unit 6, the control unit 2 searches the reservation information stored in the storage unit 7 using the user ID received from the operation input receiving unit 6 as a search key. . If the reservation information including the user ID is found, the control unit 2 unlocks the electric lock, and the liquid crystal display 80 of the notification unit 8 reads “Reservation confirmed. Open the door and plug the power plug into the outlet. Please insert the message ". In addition, the control unit 2 may cause the speaker of the notification unit 8 to ring a voice message having the same content as the message displayed on the liquid crystal display 80. Further, the control unit 2 notifies (displays) that charging is possible by causing the light emitting diode 81A at the left end to emit light (light on) when viewed from the front.

  When the power plug 102 is connected to the outlet 3 by the user, information such as the vehicle type, the battery capacity of the storage battery, and the remaining capacity is acquired from the electric vehicle 100 to the information acquisition unit 5 and passed to the control unit 2. The control unit 2 calculates the amount of power used by subtracting the remaining capacity from the battery capacity, and predicts the amount of power that can be charged within the time (scheduled charging time) from the start time to the end time of the reservation information. For example, if the maximum value of the charging current of the electric vehicle 100 is determined from the vehicle type information, the product of the maximum value of the charging current, the charging voltage, and the scheduled charging time in the control unit 2 is the predicted value of the chargeable energy. Is calculated as Furthermore, the control unit 2 compares the predicted value of the chargeable power amount with the used power amount, and causes the notification unit 8 to notify the comparison result. For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, the time when charging is completed (the scheduled time for charging completion) is displayed on the liquid crystal display 80 of the notification unit 8. Further, the control unit 2 informs that charging is in progress by causing the central light emitting diode 81B to emit light (light on) when viewed from the front. Furthermore, the control unit 2 calculates the charge amount from the measurement value of the measurement unit 4, and displays the charge amount or the ratio of the charge amount to the used power amount or the battery capacity on the liquid crystal display 80 of the notification unit 8 (FIG. 3 ( b)). Alternatively, the control unit 2 calculates the travelable distance from the sum of the remaining capacity and the charge amount and the fuel consumption (travel distance per 1 kW) acquired from the electric vehicle 100, and the travelable distance is displayed on the liquid crystal display 80 of the notification unit 8. It may be displayed. However, the control unit 2 changes the above-described plurality of types of notification contents according to the operation input received by the operation input reception unit 6 to notify the notification unit 8 of the change. Alternatively, the control unit 2 may count time with a built-in timer, and change the notification content every time a predetermined notification time elapses (periodically) to notify the notification unit 8. In addition, when an abnormality occurs in the storage battery or charger of the electric vehicle 100 during charging, the information acquisition unit 5 acquires the information on the occurrence of the abnormality from the electric vehicle 100, and the control unit 2 notifies the occurrence of the abnormality. (See FIG. 3C).

  As described above, in the charging control device 1 of the present embodiment, when performing charging based on the reservation information including the charging start time and end time, the notification unit 8 is notified of the prediction result of the amount of power that can be charged by the end time. Let Therefore, the charge control device 1 of the present embodiment can increase the convenience by increasing the amount of information notified to the user as compared with the conventional example. In the present embodiment, the control unit 2 corresponds to a prediction unit and a power calculation unit. In addition, the notification unit 8 in the present embodiment displays the notification on the liquid crystal display 80 and notifies the user by sounding the speaker. However, the notification unit 8 may notify only by using either the liquid crystal display 80 or the speaker.

  Here, since the charging control device 1 of the present embodiment includes the communication unit 9, various types of information to be notified to the notification unit 8 may be transmitted from the communication unit 9. Information transmitted from the communication unit 9 of the charging control device 1 is, for example, a terminal (such as a personal computer or a television receiver having a communication function) installed in a dwelling unit (user dwelling unit) of a housing complex or a user. Is received by the mobile phone possessed by the mobile phone and notified by the terminal or the mobile phone.

  By the way, in the present embodiment, the reservation information is received and managed by the charge control device 1, but a management device that collectively manages the reservation information of the plurality of charge control devices 1 is installed, and the plurality of charge controls are installed. A charging control system may be configured by the device 1 and the management device. Although illustration is omitted, the management device has a communication function for data communication with the communication unit 9 of the charging control device 1, acquires reservation information accepted by each charging control device 1 by data communication, and Reservation information is registered and managed in the reservation information database. Then, the control unit 2 of the charging control device 1 transmits the user ID received from the operation input receiving unit 6 from the communication unit 9 to the management device. The management device searches for reservation information from the reservation information database using the received user ID as a search key, and returns the search result (reservation information corresponding to the user ID) to the charge control device 1. Upon receiving the reservation information from the management device, the control unit 2 unlocks the electric lock and displays a message indicating that the reservation information has been confirmed on the liquid crystal display 80 of the notification unit 8. Thereafter, as described above, the control unit 2 controls the notification unit 8 to notify various information.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Charge control apparatus 2 Control part (prediction means, electric energy calculation means)
5 Information acquisition unit (information acquisition means)
6 Operation input reception part (input reception means)
7 Storage unit (storage means)
8 Notification part (notification means)

Claims (8)

  When charging based on reservation information including a start time and an end time of charging, a prediction unit that predicts an amount of power that can be charged by the end time, and a notification unit that notifies a prediction result of the prediction unit are provided. A charge control device.   Input receiving means for receiving input of the reservation information, storage means for storing the reservation information received by the input receiving means, information acquisition means for acquiring information on the remaining capacity and battery capacity of the storage battery to be charged, and The prediction means for predicting the amount of power that can be charged, the power amount calculation means for comparing the prediction result of the amount of power used by subtracting the remaining capacity from the battery capacity, and the power amount calculation means The charging control device according to claim 1, further comprising: a notification unit that notifies the comparison result.   The charge control device according to claim 2, further comprising an abnormality detection unit that detects an abnormality related to charging of the storage battery, and the notification unit notifies the detection result of the abnormality detection unit.   The charge control device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein an operation input receiving means for receiving an operation input and a notification content notified by the notification means are changed in accordance with an operation input received by the operation input receiving means. .   The charge control device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the notification content notified by the notification means is periodically changed.   The charging control apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the notification means notifies using characters, symbols, or the like.   The charging control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the notification unit notifies by sound.   8. A charge control system comprising: the charge control device according to claim 1; and a management device that manages reservation information including a start time and an end time of charge in the charge control device.

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