JP6146179B2 - Charging device and control method of charging device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a charging device for charging a battery and a method for controlling the charging device.

  A technique is known in which a charging station that charges a vehicle battery is connected to a management center server via a network, and charging / settlement processing for charging the vehicle battery is performed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). ).

JP 2010-114988 A

  When an organization such as a company that operates a management center server wants to display a unique image on the display device of the charging stand, it is necessary to incorporate the image after grasping the processing details of the charging stand in detail. is there.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a charging device capable of easily displaying a unique image, and a method for controlling the charging device.

The present invention provides a request from the control means at a predetermined timing only after the communication via the interface means between the charging device and the external device starts and the external device can read the state of the charging device. The signal is output to an external device, and the request signal is a signal requesting the external device to transmit image-related information related to an image corresponding to the state of the charging device displayed on the display means. To solve.

  According to the present invention, since the charging device outputs a request signal to the external device, the charging device accepts the image-related information returned from the external device in response to the request signal, so that the display unit of the charging device can display it. It is possible to easily display a unique image.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a charging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a charger and a charging terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing another example of the charger and the charging terminal in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control system of the charging system in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a state transition diagram of the charger in the embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 6A to 6D are diagrams showing examples of display images on the touch panel in the respective states of FIG. FIG. 7A to FIG. 7D are diagrams each showing an example of a display image on the touch panel in each state of FIG. FIG. 8A to FIG. 8D are diagrams each showing an example of a display image on the touch panel in each state of FIG. Fig.9 (a)-FIG.9 (c) are each figures which show an example of the display image of a touchscreen in each state of FIG. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a control system of the charging system in another embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a charging system according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a charger and a charging terminal according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 3 is another example of the charger and charging terminal according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control system of the charger in this embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the charging system 1 according to the present embodiment is a system that charges a running battery 61 of a vehicle 60 and charges a fee according to the amount of charging power. And a charger 40.

  The vehicle 60 in the present embodiment is a vehicle having a motor generator (not shown) as a power source and a running battery 61 that charges and discharges the motor generator, for example, an electric vehicle or a plug. An in-type hybrid car can be exemplified.

  The charging system 10 includes a charging server 20 and a charging terminal 30. In this embodiment, in addition to charging a fee, the charging system 10 monitors the state of the charger 40 by cyclic communication, and a READY command to be described later. Such a command can be instructed to the charger 40, and the charging completion condition and the upper limit value of the charger 40 can be set. The charging system 10 may be able to control the start / stop of charging of the charger 40.

  The billing server 20 is a server that performs billing authentication processing for charging the battery 61 of the vehicle 60 by the charger 40. The billing server 20 is connected to the billing terminal 30 via a network or the like. Furthermore, in this embodiment, it is possible to transmit image data corresponding to the state of the charger 40 in response to a request signal from the charger 40.

  In FIG. 1, one charger 40 is connected to one charging server 20. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of chargers are connected to one charging server 20. 40 may be connected, and the charging server 20 may manage the plurality of chargers 40 in an integrated manner. One charging terminal 30 may correspond to a plurality of chargers 40.

  The charging terminal 30 is provided in the vicinity of the charger 40, for example, and is connected to the charger 40 via a LAN or the like. The charging terminal 30 includes a touch panel 31 and a card reader 32 as shown in FIG. The touch panel 31 is an HMI (Human Machine Interface) for billing authentication. The card reader 32 is, for example, a non-contact card reader capable of reading and writing an IC card.

  For example, a charging operator (for example, a driver) who performs a charging operation touches a button on the touch panel 31 or charges an IC card with a card reader according to guidance displayed on the touch panel 31 when charging the battery 61 of the vehicle 60. The operation for billing authentication is performed by approaching. The IC card data read by the card reader 32 is transmitted to the accounting server 20 through a network or the like. As a specific example of the IC card, for example, a cash card, a credit card, a prepaid IC card charged with electronic money in advance, or the like can be exemplified.

  Instead of the non-contact type card reader 32, a non-contact type card reader may be provided in the charging terminal 30, or in addition to the non-contact type card reader 32, a contact type card reader, a coin mech ( C / M), bill validator (B / V), etc. may be provided in the charging terminal.

  The charger 40 is a quick charging stand that charges the running battery 61 of the vehicle 60 by supplying electric power to the vehicle 60. The charger 40 includes a power converter 44 that converts commercial AC power into DC power and boosts the DC power to a predetermined voltage. The DC power converted by the power converter 44 is supplied to the charging cable 41. To the battery 61 of the vehicle 60.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a charging connector 42 is attached to the tip of the charging cable 41, and the charging connector 42 is attached to a power supply inlet 62 of the vehicle 60, whereby a charger is connected via the charging cable 41. 40 and the battery 61 of the vehicle 60 are electrically connected.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a charging start button 431, a charging stop button 432, and an emergency stop button 433 are provided on the casing 43 of the charger 30. The charging operator presses the charging start button 431 after the charging connector 42 is attached to the power supply inlet 62, whereby charging of the battery 61 of the vehicle 60 is started. On the other hand, when the charging is stopped after the charging of the battery 61 is started, the charging operator presses the charging stop button 432. Further, for example, when an abnormality occurs during charging and it is desired to stop charging urgently, the charging operator presses the emergency stop button 433.

  The casing 43 of the charger 40 is provided with three lamps 434 to 436. The ready lamp 434 lights up when the charger 40 is in a chargeable state (state S120 in FIG. 5 described later). The charge lamp 435 is lit while the battery 61 is being charged after the charging start button 431 is pressed (states S131 to S135 in FIG. 5 described later). The alarm lamp 436 is lit or blinked when an abnormality such as a failure occurs in the charger 40 itself (state S300 in FIG. 5 described later).

  The charger 40 further includes a charge controller 45 and a panel computer 50.

  The charge controller 45 is composed of, for example, a computer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and can control the power converter 44 described above. The charge controller 45 controls charging of the battery 61 of the vehicle 60 by executing a charge control program stored in the ROM.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the panel computer 50 includes a touch panel 51 and a display controller 52. The touch panel 51 is an HMI between the charger 40 and the charging operator or system administrator. For example, the charging operator confirms the progress of the charging operation, or the system administrator performs maintenance of the charger 40 or the like. Used when doing.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the card reader 32 is provided in the casing 43 of the charger 40, and the touch panel 51 of the charger 40 also serves as the touch panel 31 of the charging terminal 30. Functions may be incorporated.

  The display controller 52 is configured by a computer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, for example, as with the above-described charge controller 45, and can perform display control of the touch panel 51. The display controller 52 also has a function of a communication interface 521 for communicating with the charging system 10 as shown in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, the charge controller 45 is connected to the display controller 52, and the charge controller 45 can communicate with the charging system 10 via the communication interface 521 of the display controller 52. In this embodiment, the state of the charge controller 45 is detected by the display controller 52, and the state of the entire charger 40 including the charge controller 45 and the display controller 52 is changed to the display controller through cyclic communication described later. 52 is disclosed to the charging system 10.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, the charge controller 45 and the display controller 52 of the panel computer 50 are provided independently. However, the present invention is not particularly limited thereto, and the charge controller 45 and the display controller 52 are combined into one controller. It may be integrated into.

  Hereinafter, the flow of charge control in the charger 40 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is a state transition diagram of the charger in the present embodiment, and FIGS. 6A to 9C are diagrams illustrating examples of display images on the touch panel 51 in each state of FIG.

  First, when the power of the charger 40 is turned on, in the state S100 of FIG. 5, the charge controller 45 initializes the charger 40, and the display controller 52 is touched by the touch panel 51 as shown in FIG. The image of “Starting” is displayed on the screen 511. Incidentally, in FIGS. 6A to 9C, images other than FIGS. 6B, 6C, 8C, and 9C are stored in the storage unit (not shown) of the charger 40. Is stored in advance).

  In this state S100, the charge controller 45 waits for a predetermined time for the cyclic signal from the accounting server 20 to be input via the communication interface 521. The cyclic signal is transmitted, for example, every 100 [msec], whereas the predetermined time that the charge controller 45 waits is, for example, 8 [sec]. In addition, the predetermined time in this state S100 is not specifically limited to said value, It can set arbitrarily.

  In this state S100, the charge controller 45 selects the “slave mode” shown in FIG. 5 when receiving a cyclic signal from the billing server 20 within a predetermined time. This “slave mode” is a mode in which the charger 40 operates while communicating with the charging server 20.

  On the other hand, in the state S100 of FIG. 5, the charge controller 45 does not shift to a chargeable state unless a cyclic signal is input from the billing server 20 to the charge controller 45 via the communication interface 521 within a predetermined time.

  When the cyclic communication is established between the charging server 20 and the charger 40, the charging server 20 can read the state of the charger 40 by this cyclic communication, and the “slave mode” is executed by the charge controller 45. During this time, this cyclic communication is maintained. Specifically, in this cyclic communication, a cyclic signal is periodically issued from the billing server 20, and the display controller 52 returns a status signal indicating the state of the charger 40 to the cyclic signal. Thus, the accounting server 20 monitors the state of the charger 40.

  Thus, in the present embodiment, the “slave mode” is executed after the cyclic signal is input from the billing server 20. As a result, since the charger 40 is on the slave side with respect to the charging system 10, there is no need to implement a protocol corresponding to the charging system in the charger 40, and the versatility of the charger 40 for external devices such as a charging server is eliminated. improves.

  In the state S100 in FIG. 5, the charge controller 45 may select the “single mode” (not shown) when a cyclic signal is not input within a predetermined time. This “single mode” is a mode in which the charger 40 operates independently without communicating with the billing server 20, and is the same as the “slave mode” except that the state S110 and the state S400 of FIG. 5 are not provided. It is. By providing such a “single mode”, the battery 61 of the vehicle 60 can be charged by the charger 40 even when the charging system 10 fails. In this “single mode”, image data corresponding to FIG. 6B, FIG. 6C, and FIG. 8C described later is recorded in advance in a storage unit (not shown) of the charger 40. Yes.

  When the “slave mode” is selected, the charge controller 45 shifts to the state S110 of FIG. 5 and outputs a request signal to the billing server 20 via the communication interface 521 and receives a READY command from the billing server 20 Wait for input. This request signal is a signal for requesting a return of image data corresponding to the state of the charger 40.

  Upon receiving this request signal from the charger 40, the billing server 20 reads the state of the charger 40 based on cyclic communication, and corresponds to the state of the charger 40 (specifically, state S110 in FIG. 5). The image data is returned to the charger 40. Then, the display controller 52 controls the touch panel 51 to display the image data received from the billing server 20. By such control, an image as shown in FIG. 6B is displayed on the screen 511 of the touch panel 51. The image shown in the figure is created independently by the organization that operates the accounting server 20.

  In addition to the image of FIG. 6 (b), the billing server 20 also transmits a guide image as shown in FIG. 6 (c) to the charger 40, and the display controller 52 performs the two images at predetermined time intervals. The touch panel 51 may be controlled so as to switch and display. The image shown in FIG. 6C is also created independently by the organization that operates the accounting server 20.

  In the present embodiment, the image data is provided from the charging server 20 to the charger 40, but the present invention is not particularly limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the charger 40 may include an image storage unit 53, and the image storage unit 53 may store image data with identifiers. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a control system of the charging system in another embodiment of the present invention.

  In the case of the example shown in FIG. 10, the charging server 20 that has received the request signal from the charger 40 reads the state of the charger 40 based on cyclic communication, and an image corresponding to the state of the charger 40. The data identifier is returned to the charger 40. Then, the display controller 52 reads the image data corresponding to the identifier received from the billing server 20 from the image storage unit 53 and controls the touch panel 51 to display the image data.

  Thus, by storing the image data to which the identifier is assigned in the charger 40, it is possible to reduce the amount of communication between the charger 40 and the billing server 20.

  Returning to FIG. 5, in the state S <b> 110 in FIG. 5, since the charging server 20 has the control right, the charging controller 45 cannot start the charging control of the traveling battery until the READY command is received from the charging server 20. . In this state S110, for example, an administrator can manage and maintain the charger 40 via the touch panel 51.

  For example, when the administrator touches the “management” button or the “maintenance” button on the screen 511 of the touch panel 51 shown in FIG. 6B, the process shifts to the state S200 in FIG. Select the charging time and charging rate (SOC: State of Charge), change the charging time for the charging completion condition (see FIG. 6D), or change the charging rate for the charging completion condition (See FIG. 7A). When the “OK” button is touched in FIG. 6D or FIG. 7A, the screen returns to the screen of FIG. Although not specifically shown, when one charging server 20 or one charging terminal 30 corresponds to a plurality of chargers 40, the station number of each charger 40 may be set in this state S200. Good.

  In the present embodiment, by providing the state S110 in which the charge controller 45 cannot start the charge control, in the “slave mode”, the authentication of the IC card is not completed or the charge completion condition is set. Nevertheless, it is possible to prevent the charging process from being started due to the charging start button 431 of the charger 40 being pushed without permission.

  When the READY command is input from the billing server 20 to the charge controller 45 via the communication interface 521 in the state S110 in FIG. 5, the charge controller 45 proceeds to the state S120 in FIG. For example, the READY command is sent from the charging server 20 when the charging operator touches the card reader 32 of the charging terminal 30 and then touches the frame of the touch panel 51 shown in FIG. It is output to the charger 40. When the charging controller 45 receives this READY command from the charging server 20, the control right is transferred from the charging server 20 to the charging controller 45.

  In the state S120 of FIG. 5, since the control right is in the charge controller 45, the charger 40 can start charging the battery at any time if the charging operator presses the charge start button 431. In the state S120 of FIG. 5, the display controller 52 displays an image as shown in FIG. 7B on the screen 511 of the touch panel 51.

  When the charging operator presses the charging start button 431 of the charger 40, the charging control in the states S131 to S135 in FIG. 5 is executed.

  Specifically, first, in the state S131 of FIG. 5, the charge controller 45 communicates with the vehicle 60 to acquire information such as the current charging rate of the traveling battery 60 and the presence or absence of a failure. In this state S131, the display controller 52 displays an image as shown in FIG. 7C on the screen 511 of the touch panel 51.

  Next, in the state S132 of FIG. 5, the charge controller 45 performs an insulation test by applying a voltage of, for example, about 500 [V], and further checks the failure state of the charger 40 itself in the state S133 of FIG. . In the state S132 and the state S133, the display controller 52 displays images such as those shown in FIGS. 7D and 8A on the screen 511 of the touch panel 51.

  When the charging start condition is satisfied, the charging controller 45 actually supplies DC power from the charger 40 to the vehicle 60 to charge the traveling battery in the state S134 of FIG. In this state S134, the display controller 52 displays an image as shown in FIG. 8B on the screen 511 of the touch panel 51.

  In the state S134 of FIG. 5, when the charging operator presses the “stop guidance” button in the image of FIG. 8B, the charging controller 45 sends a request signal to the charging server 20 via the communication interface 521. Output. The billing server 20 returns image data corresponding to the state S134 of the charger 40 in response to this request signal. Then, the display controller 52 displays the image shown in FIG. 8C for a predetermined time instead of the image shown in FIG. The image shown in the figure is an image for guiding a method for stopping the charging of the battery 61, and is created uniquely by an organization that operates the accounting server 20. Incidentally, in this embodiment, the request for authentication for stopping the charging prevents the charging operator from stopping the charging unintentionally.

  When the battery 60 of the vehicle 60 is charged in the state S134 in FIG. 5 and the charging completion condition is satisfied, the charge controller 45 proceeds to the state S135 in FIG. 5 and stops charging. In this state S135, the display controller 52 displays the image shown in FIG. 8D on the screen 511 of the touch panel 51.

  In the state S131 to S134 in FIG. 5, for example, when a charge stop event occurs due to the charging operator pressing the charge stop button 432 or the like, the process proceeds to the state S135 in FIG. 5.

  When the charging stop operation is completed in the state S135 of FIG. 5, the charging controller 45 transmits the charging result such as the amount of charging power to the charging system 10 via the communication interface 521, and the state of the charger 40 is again set. The process proceeds to state S110 in FIG.

  The charging terminal 30 transmits the charging result transmitted from the charging controller 45 to the charging server 20, and the charging server 20 calculates a fee based on the charging result and performs a settlement process.

  In the present embodiment, when the charging system 10 receives the charging result from the charger 40, the control right is transferred from the charger 40 to the charging system 10, and the charging controller 45 cannot enter the charging control again. An example of the display screen of the touch panel 51 immediately after the transition from the state S135 to the state S110 in FIG. 5 is shown in FIG. When a certain time has elapsed after the end of charging, the charging controller 45 outputs a request signal to the charging server 20, image data is returned from the charging server 20, and the display controller 52 displays the display on the touch panel 51 in FIG. Switching from (a) to FIG. 6 (b).

  In addition, in any of the states S100 to S120 and S131 to S135 in FIG. 5, when an abnormality occurs in the charger 40, the state shifts to the state S <b> 300 in FIG. 5 to alert the charging operator of the occurrence of the abnormality. In this state S300, the display controller 52 displays an image as shown in FIG. 9B on the screen 511 of the touch panel 51.

  Further, in the present embodiment, when the charge controller 45 receives a “service stop command” from the charging server 20 in the state S110 in FIG. 5, the process proceeds to the state S400 in FIG. A request signal is output to 20. In response to this request signal, the accounting server 20 returns image data corresponding to the state S400 of the charger 40, and the display controller 52 displays the image shown in FIG. 9C received from the accounting server 20 on the touch panel 51. Display. The image shown in the figure is created independently by the organization that operates the accounting server 20.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, a request signal is output to the charging server 20 at a predetermined timing after the communication via the communication interface 521 is started between the charger 40 and the charging server 20. In response to this request signal, charging server 20 returns image data corresponding to the state of charger 40 to charger 40, and display controller 52 causes touch panel 51 to display the image data. As a result, the organization that operates the billing server 20 does not need to know the details of the processing of the charger 40 in detail, and can provide a unique image (specifically, the above-described FIG. 6B, FIG. 6C, FIGS. 8C and 9C can be easily displayed on the touch panel 51 of the charger 40.

  The charger 40 in the present embodiment corresponds to an example of a charging device in the present invention, and the charging system 10 in the present embodiment corresponds to an example of an external device in the present invention. Further, the power converter 44 in the present embodiment corresponds to an example of the charging unit in the present invention, the charge controller 45 in the present embodiment corresponds to an example of the charging control unit in the present invention, and the touch panel 51 in the present embodiment is the book. The display controller 52 in the present embodiment corresponds to an example of display means in the present invention, and the display controller 52 in the present embodiment corresponds to an example of display control means in the present invention. Further, the communication interface 521 in the present embodiment corresponds to an example of an interface unit in the present invention, and the image storage unit 53 in the present embodiment corresponds to an example of a storage unit in the present invention.

  The embodiment described above is described for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and is not described for limiting the present invention. Therefore, each element disclosed in the above embodiment is intended to include all design changes and equivalents belonging to the technical scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Charging system 10 ... Billing system 20 ... Billing server 30 ... Billing terminal 40 ... Charger 41 ... Charge cable 42 ... Charging connector 43 ... Case 44 ... Power converter 45 ... Charge controller 50 ... Panel computer 51 ... Touch panel 52 ... Display controller 521 ... Communication interface 53 ... Image storage unit 60 ... Vehicle 61 ... Battery for traveling 62 ... Power feeding inlet

Claims (6)

Charging means for charging the battery;
Display means for displaying an image;
Control means for controlling the charging means and the display means;
An interface means interposed between the control means and an external device, and a charging device comprising:
The control means sends the external device to the external device at a predetermined timing only after communication with the external device via the interface means is started and the external device can read the state of the charging device. In response to the request signal,
The charging device , wherein the request signal is a signal for requesting the external device to transmit image-related information related to an image corresponding to a state of the charging device displayed on the display means. The charging device according to claim 1,
Wherein, the charging device characterized that you periodically send the status of the charging device to the external device. The charging device according to claim 1 or 2,
The image related information includes image data corresponding to the state of the charging device,
The said control means controls the said display means to display the image data returned from the said external device with respect to the said request signal, The charging device characterized by the above-mentioned. The charging device according to claim 1 or 2,
The charging device further includes storage means for storing a plurality of image data each having an identifier attached thereto,
The image related information includes an identifier of image data corresponding to the state of the charging device,
The control means reads image data corresponding to the identifier returned from the external device in response to the request signal from the storage means,
The charging device, wherein the control means controls the display means to display the image data. The charging device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The control means includes
Charging control means for controlling the charging means;
Display control means for controlling the display means,
The charging apparatus includes a panel computer having the display unit, the display control unit, and the interface unit. A method for controlling a charging device for charging a battery, comprising:
Only after communication between the charging device and the external device via the interface unit of the charging device has started and the external device can read the state of the charging device, at a predetermined timing A request signal is output from the control means of the charging device to the external device,
The request signal is a signal for requesting the external device to transmit image-related information relating to an image corresponding to the state of the charging device displayed on the display unit of the charging device. Method.

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