U.S. patent application number 13/032430 was filed with the patent office on 2011-06-23 for metering system and method of operation.
This patent application is currently assigned to CONSOLIDATED EDISON COMPANY OF NEW YORK, INC.. Invention is credited to Anthony F. Barna, Chi Yao Chen, Charles Feldman, A. Arthur Kressner.
Application Number | 20110153131 13/032430 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42710187 |
Filed Date | 2011-06-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110153131 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kressner; A. Arthur ; et
al. |
June 23, 2011 |
METERING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATION
Abstract
A metering system for measuring the electrical power used to
charge a vehicle is provided. The metering system includes an
electrical meter operably coupled to a conductor connected to the
vehicle and an electrical outlet. A controller receives signals
from the meter to record the measured electrical consumption. The
controller includes a plurality of communications devices for
communicating with different communications carriers. In one
embodiment, the controller selects one of the communications
devices based on availability and a desired criterion. The selected
communications device then transmits the measured electrical power
consumption to a utility provider. In one embodiment, the metering
system is mobile.
Inventors: |
Kressner; A. Arthur;
(Westfield, NJ) ; Barna; Anthony F.; (North
Massapequa, NY) ; Feldman; Charles; (Flushing,
NY) ; Chen; Chi Yao; (Sunnyside, NY) |
Assignee: |
CONSOLIDATED EDISON COMPANY OF NEW
YORK, INC.
New York
NY
|
Family ID: |
42710187 |
Appl. No.: |
13/032430 |
Filed: |
February 22, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12399465 |
Mar 6, 2009 |
7917251 |
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13032430 |
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11850113 |
Sep 5, 2007 |
7693609 |
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12399465 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
701/22 ;
320/109 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60L 53/14 20190201;
H04Q 2213/1308 20130101; Y02T 10/7005 20130101; Y02T 90/16
20130101; Y02T 10/7077 20130101; Y02T 10/7072 20130101; G01R 22/063
20130101; G07C 5/008 20130101; Y02T 10/70 20130101; H04Q 2213/1313
20130101; Y02T 90/14 20130101; B60L 50/16 20190201 |
Class at
Publication: |
701/22 ;
320/109 |
International
Class: |
G06F 17/00 20060101
G06F017/00; H02J 7/04 20060101 H02J007/04 |
Claims
1-21. (canceled)
22. An electrical metering device, comprising: an electrical power
input; an electrical power output electrically coupled to the
input, the output being adapted to operably couple with a vehicle.
a meter operably coupled between the input and the output; a
controller electrically coupled to the meter; a first
communications device electrically coupled to the controller, the
first communications device adapted to transmit data using a first
wireless carrier; and a memory device electrically coupled to the
meter; wherein the controller contains a processor responsive to
executable computer instructions for storing data in the memory
device indicative of electrical power consumption by the vehicle in
response to a first signal from the meter.
23. The device of claim 22, wherein the processor is further
responsive to executable computer instructions for determining if
the first wireless carrier is available, negotiating a rate using
the first wireless carrier, retrieving electrical consumption data
from the memory device, and transmitting a second signal indicating
the electrical consumption data.
24. The device of claim 22, further comprising a second
communications device electrically coupled to the controller, the
second communications device adapted to transmit data using a
second wireless carrier.
25. The device of claim 24, wherein the processor is further
responsive to executable computer instructions that determine if
the first and second wireless carriers are available and select one
of the first or second communications device in response to
receiving a signal from the meter.
26. The device of claim 22, further comprising a display operably
coupled to the controller, the controller being further responsive
to executable computer instructions for receiving an authorization
code signal from a first external source and displaying the
authorization code on the display.
27. The device of claim 26, wherein the controller is further
responsive to executable computer instructions for receiving a
transponder signal from a second external source and transmitting a
second signal on the selected carrier.
28. The device of claim 26, wherein the display is operably coupled
to an in-vehicle computer system.
29. The device of claim 22, wherein the controller further
comprises a GPS device that records the coordinates of the vehicle
when electricity flows through the meter.
30. The device of claim 29, wherein the controller transmits the
coordinates with the electrical power usage data.
31. An electrical metering device, comprising: an electrical power
input; an electrical power output electrically coupled to said
input; a meter operably coupled between said input and said output;
a first communications device adapted to transmit data using a
first wireless carrier; a second communications device adapted to
transmit data using a second wireless carrier; and a controller
electrically coupled to the meter, the first wireless device and
the second wireless device, the controller having a processor
electrically coupled to a memory device, and wherein the controller
contains a processor responsive to executable computer instructions
for selecting the first or second wireless carrier and transmitting
a first signal indicating said electrical consumption data using
the selected carrier.
32. The device of claim 31, wherein the processor is further
responsive to executable computer instructions for negotiating a
rate with the selected wireless carrier and retrieving electrical
consumption data from the memory device.
33. The device of claim 31, wherein the first wireless carrier
comprises a radio frequency carrier, satellite, CDMA cellular, or
GSM cellular.
34. The device of claim 31, wherein the second wireless carrier
comprises a cellular carrier.
35. The device of claim 31, further comprising a display operably
coupled to the controller, the controller being further responsive
to executable computer instructions for receiving an authorization
code signal from a first external source and displaying the
authorization code on the display.
36. The device of claim 35, wherein the display is operably coupled
to an in-vehicle computer system.
37. The device of claim 31, wherein said electrical metering device
may be transported by a single person.
38. A method of charging a vehicle containing batteries,
comprising: coupling a meter between a vehicle and an electrical
outlet; receiving an authorization code; inputting the
authorization code into a charging device; measuring an amount of
electrical power provided to the vehicle in response to receiving
the authorization code; storing data about the measured amount of
electrical power; determining whether a first wireless
communications carrier is available; and transmitting the stored
data using the first wireless communications carrier.
39. The method of claim 38, further comprising: determining whether
a second wireless communications carrier is available; and,
transmitting the stored data using the second wireless
communications carrier when the first wireless communications
carrier is not available.
40. The method of claim 38, further comprising communicating with
an onboard vehicle diagnostic system associated with the
vehicle.
41. The method of claim 38, further comprising communicating with
an in-vehicle computer system.
42. The method of claim 38, further comprising displaying the
authorization code on an in-vehicle computer system.
43. The method of claim 42, further comprising: receiving a first
signal from an external transponder; and transmitting a second
signal on first wireless communications carrier in response to the
first signal.
44. The method of claim 38, wherein the authorization code is
received via an SMS message.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/850,113 entitled "HYBRID VEHICLE RECHARGING
SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATION" filed on Sep. 5, 2007, which is
incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a system for
utility metering electrical usage by plug-in electric vehicles
during recharging and more particularly to a mobile system for
plug-in electric vehicles that allows utility metering of
electricity independent of location.
[0003] Due to rising cost of petroleum and the fuels derived from
it, the desire to improve efficiency to reduce air pollutants and
increasingly more restrictive regulatory requirements, the
automotive industry has developed new types of vehicles that
utilize a combination of power sources to provide the necessary
energy for the propulsion of vehicles. Rather than rely solely on
an internal combustion engine, these new vehicles, referred to as
hybrid vehicles, utilize an internal combustion engine in
combination with an electric motor. Another version called a
plug-in electric vehicle may also supplement the charging of the
batteries from the electric grid or other sources. Depending on the
mode of operation, the vehicle will use the combustion engine, the
electric motor, or a combination thereof. By using the electric
motor at various times, the combustion engine could be shut off,
reducing the amount of gasoline or other fuel consumed using
electricity to power the motor instead. The electric motor is
powered by batteries that are periodically recharged through a
combination of a generator coupled to the combustion engine,
regenerative breaking technology and from the local utility grid or
other external source of electricity. Regenerative breaking allows
the capture of energy that would otherwise be dissipated through
heat when the vehicle is slowed down or brought to a stop.
[0004] Plug-in electric vehicles provided many advantages over
internal combustion engine vehicles and previous generations of
all-electric vehicles. The plug-in electric vehicle provides
greater range and more flexibility for the operator. Since the
all-electric vehicle needed to be charged periodically, and
required several hours at a minimum to recharge, the operator
needed to remain aware of the level of charge remaining in the
batteries to ensure they were able to return to their charging
station. Plug-in electric vehicles, in contrast, by having two
different sources of propulsion do not carry the same risks due to
the wide availability of fuels such as gasoline.
[0005] A typical plug-in electric vehicle uses a nickel metal
hydride battery or the like to store electrical charge. When run in
pure electric mode, the plug-in electric vehicle can only operate
for short distances, 2 km-32 km for example, before requiring the
use of the gasoline engine. Since the gasoline engine recharges the
batteries, at least in part, the vehicle manufacturers need to
balance the amount of battery storage against fuel efficiency to
provide a vehicle that meets the consumer's performance
expectations.
[0006] The plug-in electric vehicles include a receptacle that
connects the batteries to a standard 110V or 220V household
electrical outlet and allows the consumer to recharge the batteries
using utility electric power rather than by burning gasoline or
other fuel in a combustion engine. This allows the plug-in electric
vehicles to have a longer range in electric mode of operation since
larger capacity batteries may be used, resulting in vehicle that
uses less gasoline and thus lower emissions.
[0007] Incentives, such as lower electrical tariff rates for
example, exist to encourage greater usage of utility electrical
power over gasoline combustion. However, it is difficult to provide
these benefits to the operator when the vehicle is charged away
from their home or place of business since the operator's meter and
utility account is associated with a physical location.
[0008] Thus, while existing metering systems are suitable for their
intended purpose, there remains a need for improvements,
particularly regarding the metering of plug-in electric vehicles
and the interfacing with a utility.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0009] According to one aspect of the invention, an electrical
metering device is provided. The metering device includes an
electrical power input. An electrical power output is electrically
coupled to the input, the output being adapted to operably couple
with a vehicle. A meter is operably coupled between the input and
the output. A controller is electrically coupled to the meter. A
first communications device is electrically coupled to the
controller, such that the first communications device is adapted to
transmit data using a first wireless carrier. A memory device is
electrically coupled to the meter. The controller also includes a
processor responsive to executable computer instructions for
storing data indicative of electrical power consumption by the
vehicle in the memory device in response to a first signal from the
meter.
[0010] According to another aspect of the invention, a mobile
metering device for vehicles is provided. The mobile metering
device includes a current transformer. A meter electrically coupled
to the current transformer. A controller having a memory device is
electrically coupled to the meter. A plurality of communications
devices is electrically coupled to the controller.
[0011] According to yet another aspect of the invention, a method
of charging a vehicle having batteries is provided. The method
includes the step of coupling a meter between the vehicle and an
electrical outlet. An amount of electrical power provided to the
vehicle is measured. Data indicative of the measured amount of
electrical power is stored. An availability of a first wireless
communications carrier is determined. The stored data is
transmitted on the first wireless communications carrier.
[0012] These and other advantages and features will become more
apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with
the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0013] The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is
particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at
the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other
features, and advantages of the invention, are apparent from the
following detailed description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings. Referring now to the drawings, which are
meant to be exemplary and not limiting, and wherein like elements
are numbered alike:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a utility electrical
distribution system;
[0015] FIG. 2 is an illustration of an average electrical demand
profile for electrical usage of a large metropolitan city having
the electrical distribution network of FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a plug-in electric
vehicle charging system in accordance with an embodiment;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary metering
system for use with the plug-in electric vehicle of FIG. 3;
[0018] FIG. 5 is another schematic illustration of the exemplary
metering system for the plug-in electric vehicle of FIG. 3;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of an alternate
embodiment metering system for the plug-in electric vehicle of FIG.
3;
[0020] FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration of a vehicle
communications system for the plug-in electric vehicle of FIG. 3;
and,
[0021] FIG. 8 is flow chart illustration of a method of metering
and communicating electrical power consumption by a vehicle.
[0022] The detailed description explains embodiments of the
invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example
with reference to the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a utility
electrical distribution network 20. The utility network 20 includes
one or more power plants 22 connected in parallel to a main
distribution network 24. The power plants 22 may include, but are
not limited to: coal, nuclear, natural gas, or incineration power
plants. Additionally, the power plants 22 may include one or more
hydroelectric, solar, or wind turbine power plants. It should be
appreciated that additional components such as transformers,
switchgear, fuses and the like (not shown) may be incorporated into
the utility network 22, as needed, to ensure the safe and efficient
operation of the system. The utility network 20 may be
interconnected with one or more other utility networks to allow the
transfer of electrical power into or out of the electrical network
20.
[0024] The main distribution network 24 typically consists of
medium voltage power lines, less than 50 kV for example, and
associated distribution equipment which carry the electrical power
from the point of production at the power plants 22 to the end
users located on local electrical distribution networks 26, 28. The
local distribution networks 26, 28 are connected to the main
distribution network by substations 30 which adapt the electrical
characteristics of the electrical power to those needed by the end
users. Substations 30 typically contain one or more transformers,
switching, protection and control equipment. Larger substations may
also include circuit breakers to interrupt faults, such as short
circuits or over-load currents for example. Substations 30 may also
include equipment such as fuses, protective relays, surge
protection, controls, meters, capacitors and voltage
regulators.
[0025] The substations 30 connect to one or more local electrical
distribution networks, such as local distribution network 26 for
example, that provides electrical power to a commercial area having
end users such as an office building 32 or a manufacturing facility
34. Local distribution network 26 may also include one or more
transformers 36 which further adapt the electrical characteristics
of the delivered electricity to the needs of the end users.
Substation 30 may also connect with other types of local
distribution networks such as residential distribution network 28.
The residential distribution network 28 may include one or more
residential buildings 46 and also light industrial or commercial
operations.
[0026] The electrical power available to an end user on one of the
local distribution networks 26, 28 will depend on the
characteristics of local distribution network and where on the
local network the end user is located. For example, local
distribution network 28 may include one or more transformers 40
that further divide local distribution network 28 into two
sub-networks 42, 44. One such electrical characteristic is the
maximum power that may be delivered to a local distribution
network. While the utility network 20 may have power plants 22
capable of generating many megawatts of electrical power, this
power may not be completely available to an end user in a
residential building 46 on a local distribution network 28 since
the intervening equipment and cabling restricts, or limits the
delivery of electrical power.
[0027] Existing local distribution networks 26, 28 are designed to
provide the electrical power demanded during peak usage periods.
Referring to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the demand for electrical
power does not remain constant during the day, but rather peaks in
the late afternoon/early evening. The demand curve illustrated in
FIG. 2 is an average electrical demand for a large metropolitan
city. The actual demands on the local distribution network will
change from one day to the next and will also differ depending on
the season. The actual demand will be the function of many
parameters, including the weather, time of day, season of the year
and the like. Further if a local distribution network 26, 28
experiences an increase in electrical demand due to other factors,
such as new construction for example, changes may need to be made
to the local distribution network to allow sufficient power to flow
to the local distribution network, even though the utility network
20 has sufficient electrical production capacity to meet the needs
of the new demand.
[0028] Plug-in electric vehicles represent one such type of
increase in electrical power demand on the utility network 20. It
has been estimated that the existing utility networks have
sufficient generation capacity such that plug-in electric vehicles
would need to achieve a market penetration of 30%-40% before
additional capacity would need to be added. However, a lower market
penetration as well as the higher market penetrations may result in
power constraints on individual local distribution networks
depending on a number of factors including the local distribution
network power delivery capacity, the existing base load and the
number of plug-in electric vehicles on the local distribution
network. The power constraints on a local distribution network,
such as residential network 28 for example, may be further
complicated by the demographics of the network. In a residential
network, the owners of plug-in electric vehicles will be tend to
arrive home from work in the late afternoon or early evening. When
the owners arrive home, they will tend to connect their plug-in
electric vehicle to an electrical outlet during the same time
frame. Without some type of control, the additional electrical
demands from many plug-in electric vehicles could be placed on the
local distribution network at the time of day also corresponds to
the peak demand period.
[0029] Different incentives have been proposed to encourage
customers to shift recharging of their vehicles to off peak time
periods. These proposals, which include reduced off-peak electrical
tariff rates for the vehicle and prepaid accounts for example, may
need the electrical power consumption for the vehicle to be
separately metered from the customers physical location account
(e.g. residential building 46).
[0030] Referring now to FIG. 3, an exemplary embodiment of a system
for metering the charging of a plug-in electric vehicle will be
described. A plug-in electric vehicle 48 typically includes an
internal combustion engine 50 coupled to a motor 52 through a
transmission 54 that transfers the power from the engine 50 and
motor 52 to the wheels 56. A battery 58 is electrically coupled to
provide electricity to power the motor 52. Alternatively, the motor
52 may be arranged to act as a generator driven by the engine 50 to
provide recharging of the battery 58. It should be appreciated that
the battery 58 is referred to as a single component, however, the
battery 58 may be comprised of a number of electrochemical cells or
discrete individual batteries that are coupled together in series
or parallel, depending on the voltage and power needs. The battery
58 is electrically coupled, such as through an inverter (not shown)
for example, to the monitoring device 60, which provides an
external connection to a power source. A monitoring device 60 is
electrically connected between the connector 71 and the battery 58
to measure the flow of electrical power to the battery 58. A sensor
61 coupled to the plug-in electric vehicle to measure the charge
remaining in the battery 58. As will be discussed in more detail
herein, it should be appreciated that the sensor 61 may be
accessible to the monitoring device 60 via the plug-in electric
vehicle's 48 on-board diagnostic system (e.g. OBD II).
[0031] A cable 69 couples the connector 71 to an outlet 67 in
residence 46. The cable 69 is appropriately sized to support the
flow of electrical power between the plug-in electric vehicle 48
and the residence 46. In the exemplary embodiment, the residential
household circuit the cable will support 1.5 kilowatts at 110 volts
up to 10.0 kilowatts at 240 volts. It should be appreciated that in
commercial facilities, additional electrical power may be available
and at higher voltages. The outlet 67 is connected to a residential
meter 65 that connects the residence 46 to the local distribution
network 28. The residential meter 65 measures the amount of
electrical power supplied from the local distribution network 28 to
the residence 46.
[0032] It should be appreciated that while the embodiment
illustrated in FIG. 3 shows the monitoring device 60, the
communications device 64 and the connector 71 as being positioned
within the vehicle 48, this is for exemplary purposes and not
intended to be limiting. The monitoring device 60, the
communications device 64 and the connector 71 may also be
positioned outside the vehicle, such as in a stand-alone housing,
mounted to the wall of a garage, mounted to a utility pole or the
like for example.
[0033] Referring now to FIG. 4, the monitoring device 60 is shown.
The monitoring device 60 includes a utility-grade electrical
metering device 66 that is coupled to a sensor, such as current
transformer 68 for example, to monitor the flow of electrical power
through a cable 70. A pair of connectors 71, 73 are arranged on
either end of the cable 70 to provide an interface with the plug-in
electric vehicle 48 and the residence power outlet 67. It should be
appreciated that the monitoring device 60 may be coupled in between
the power source (e.g. outlet 67) and the plug-in electric vehicle
48 in a number of different configurations, such as the elimination
of connectors 71, 73 and the routing of a single cable 70 between
the outlet 67 and the plug-in electric vehicle 48 for example,
without deviating from the intended scope of the claimed invention.
In the exemplary embodiment, the connectors 71, 73 are standard
electrical outlet plugs, such as NEMA 5-15/Canadian standard
CS22.2, n.sup.o42 for example. In other embodiments, larger outlet
plugs or OEM specific outlet plugs may be used.
[0034] The meter 66 is connected transmit and receive signals from
a controller 72. In the exemplary embodiment, the controller 72
includes a processor 74, and a communications device 64. The
controller 72 may also include additional circuits such as a global
positioning satellite (GPS) device 76 and an interface 78 for an
on-board diagnostic system 92 in plug-in electric vehicle 48. In
the exemplary embodiment, the interface 78 complies with the ODB-II
communications protocol for transmitting and receiving signals from
the plug-in electric vehicle 48. The monitoring device 60 may also
include a battery 80 and power electronics 82 connected between the
meter 66 and the controller 72 to provide electrical power needed
for the operation of the controller 72.
[0035] The controller 72 may be embodied in the form of
computer-implemented processes and apparatuses for practicing those
processes. The controller 72 may also be embodied in the form of a
computer program product having computer program code containing
instructions embodied in tangible media, such as floppy diskettes,
CD-ROMs, hard drives, USB (universal serial bus) drives, flash
memory 90 or any other computer readable storage medium, such as
random access memory 84 (RAM), read only memory 86 (ROM), or
erasable programmable read only memory 88 (EPROM), for example,
wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed
by a computer, the computer becomes part of the monitoring device
60. The controller 72 may also be embodied in the form of computer
program code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium,
loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some
transmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling,
through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic radiation, wherein
when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a
computer, the computer becomes part of the controller 72. When
implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer
program code segments configure the microprocessor to create
specific logic circuits. As will be described in more detail below,
one example of a technical effect of the executable instructions is
to determine the amount of electrical power provided to the plug-in
electric vehicle 48 for charging the battery 58 and to communicate
a signal indicative of the measured electrical power using an
available communications carrier.
[0036] The communications device 64 provides a means for the
controller 72 to communicate signals embodying information on
multiple communications carriers as will be described in more
detail herein. The communications device 64 may incorporate any
type of communications protocol capable of allowing the controller
72 to receive, transmit and exchange information with one or more
external devices. In the exemplary embodiment, the communications
device 64 includes multiple communications circuits or devices that
allow for communications over different wireless carriers depending
on their availability. This provides the advantage of increasing
the robustness and reliability of the monitoring device's 60
ability to communicate data on electrical usage. Communications
device 64 may use wireless communication systems, methodologies and
protocols such as, but is not limited to, IEEE 802.11, IrDA,
infrared, radio frequency, electromagnetic radiation, microwave,
Bluetooth, and laser. Further, communications device 64 may include
one or more wired communications systems, methodologies and
protocols such as but not limited to: TCP/IP, RS-232, RS-485,
Modbus, power-line, telephone, local area networks, wide area
networks, Ethernet, cellular, and fiber-optics.
[0037] In the exemplary embodiment, the communications device 64
includes a plurality of communications circuits or devices, such as
IEEE 802.11 device 94 commonly referred to as Wifi, a satellite
device 96, a CDMA compliant cellular device 98, a GSM compliant
cellular device 100, a radio frequency device 102, a IEEE 802.15.4
device 104 commonly referred to as Zigbee, and a Bluetooth
compliant device 106. In one embodiment, the satellite device 96
transmits data on a frequency range of 3 to 40 gigahertz. In
another embodiment, the radio frequency device 102 transmits on a
frequency range of 30 kilohertz to 3000 megahertz. The controller
72 may further include an optional antenna 108 to assist in the
transmission to the communication medium or carrier 110.
[0038] The controller 72 may be any suitable control device capable
of receiving multiple inputs and providing control functionality to
multiple devices based on the inputs. Controller 72 includes the
processor 74 that is a suitable electronic device capable of
accepting data and instructions, executing the instructions to
process the data, and presenting the results. Processor may accept
instructions through a user interface, or through other means such
as but not limited to electronic data card, voice activation means,
manually operable selection and control means, radiated wavelength
and electronic or electrical transfer. Therefore, the processor can
be a microprocessor, microcomputer, a minicomputer, an optical
computer, a board computer, a complex instruction set computer, an
ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), a reduced
instruction set computer, an analog computer, a digital computer, a
molecular computer, a quantum computer, a cellular computer, a
superconducting computer, a supercomputer, a solid-state computer,
a single-board computer, a buffered computer, a computer network, a
desktop computer, a laptop computer, or a hybrid of any of the
foregoing.
[0039] The monitoring device 60 is disposed in communication with
an intermediary device 112 to exchange data via communication
carrier 110. The intermediary device 112 may be a wireless router
112 for example, such as when the plug-in electric vehicle 48 is
located at the customer's residence 46. In other embodiments, the
intermediate device 112 may be utility meter arranged to
communicate with the utility 118, such as through power line,
telecommunications or wireless mediums for example. The wireless
router 112 allows the controller 72 to connect through a network
114 to a service provider 116, such as an internet service provider
for example, and to the utility 118. This allows the measured
electrical power usage for the plug-in electric vehicle 48 to be
transmitted to the utility company 118. As will be described in
more detail below, the controller 72 includes further functionality
to determine which of the communications devices 94, 96, 98, 100,
102, 104, 106 have communications service available. The controller
72 may then select which communications carrier to use. For
example, the communications carrier may be based on cost, with the
lower cost communication carrier being utilized before a higher
cost service for example. In the exemplary embodiment, the
controller 72 is described as being single computer processing
device, however, it is contemplated that the controller 72 may also
be a distributed or networked computing system comprised of a
number of processing components.
[0040] It should be appreciated that as used herein, the term
"utility" may refer to an entity such as a public utility, or to
any other entity, or service provider that delivers or tracks the
delivery of electrical power to the vehicle 48. For example, the
utility 118 may also be a corporation having a fleet of vehicles
48. The corporation may desire to track electrical consumption for
the purposes of achieving improved rates as discussed above, or for
obtaining carbon credits as will be discussed in more detail
below.
[0041] It should be appreciated that the utility 118 may obtain
information about the location of the plug-in electric vehicle 48.
The location information may be determined in a number of ways. For
example, the GPS device 76 may record the coordinates of the
plug-in electric vehicle 48 and the controller 72 may transmit the
location data with the electrical power usage data. Alternatively,
the location information may be derived from the intermediary
device 112 that the controller 72 connects to, for example, in the
embodiment where the controller 72 communicates through a wireless
router 112, the internet protocol (IP) address for the router 112
may provide a location to the utility.
[0042] One issue with metering a vehicle, which is not fixed to a
physical location, is that the vehicle may be charged in multiple
locations. For example, the operator may use the vehicle on a
vacation, or the operator may desire to recharge the battery 58
during the day when they are at work. The ability to charge the
battery 58 at different locations may provide advantages for both
the operator/customer and the utility. By providing charging
stations, such as at locations of major employers or in
metropolitan centers for example, the electrical power may be
delivered in locations where the utility infrastructure is better
equipped to handle the load. Similarly, the customer may have an
opportunity to lower costs by charging at a known tariff rate. As a
result, the monitoring device 60 needs to be able to reliably
communicate with the utility 118 from a variety of locations.
[0043] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the plug-in electric
vehicle 48 is located away from the physical location associated
with the utility account, such as residence 46 for example. The
plug-in electric vehicle 48 is coupled to a charging station 120.
The charging station 120 may be located at the operator's place of
work, or may be in a parking/charging lot close to where they work
for example. The monitoring device 60 is connected to the charging
station 120 by a power cable 69. As described above, the meter 66
measures the amount of electrical power flowing to the plug-in
electric vehicle 48. The controller 72, with the processor 74
stores the data in either nonvolatile memory 88, or flash memory
90, to record the amount of electrical power measured by meter
66.
[0044] When the battery 58 has been recharged, the controller 72
queries the communications devices 94, 96, 98, 100, 102, 104, 106
to determine what communications carriers are available to transmit
data. Since the operator is away from their residence 46, the IEEE
802.11 (Wifi) communications device 94 may not be able to transmit
the data. If this is the case, the controller 72 then determines
which of the other communications devices would be the most cost
effective to transmit the electrical meter data. This determination
may be performed automatically, such as from a prioritization order
stored in memory, or the controller 72 may negotiate a rate with
the available communications carriers. In either case, the most
cost effective communications carrier is selected and the data is
transmitted and received by the utility 118. The data may include
either or both usage information or permission data allowing the
charging of the battery 58.
[0045] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the intermediate
communications device 112 is a cellular antenna 112. As such, the
controller 72 uses one of the cellular communications devices, such
as CDMA compliant device 98 or GSM compliant device 100 for
example. The data is transmitted to the cellular antenna 112, which
transfers the information through the telecommunications provider
122 into the network 114 and to the utility 118.
[0046] In some embodiments, the charging station 120 may need to
authenticate the plug-in electric vehicle prior to allowing the
charging process to begin. In this embodiment, the charging station
120 may have a transponder 126. Upon the connecting of the cable 69
to the charging station 120, the transponder 126 sends a signal to
the plug-in electric vehicle 48. The transponder signal may be
transmitted using a number of methods, such as via IEEE 802.11
(Wifi) device 94, Bluetooth device 106 or using powerline
communications through the cable 69 for example. Once the
transponder signal is received by the controller 72, the controller
72 uses one of the communications devices 94, 96, 98, 100, 102,
104, 106 to contact the utility 118, such as through the cellular
antenna 112 as described above. The data transmitted to the utility
118 may include such information as the location of the plug-in
electric vehicle 48, the identification number of the charging
station 120, the identification data for the vehicle or meter, and
the like.
[0047] Upon receiving the signal from the plug-in electric vehicle
48, the utility 118 may issue an authorization code to allow the
plug-in electric vehicle 48 to be charged. The authorization code
may be transmitted back through the network 114 to the plug-in
electric vehicle 48, or alternatively, the signal may be sent to
the charging system 120 such as through an internet service
provider 116 for example.
[0048] In another embodiment, the utility transmits an
authorization code that is displayed on an in-vehicle computer
system 124 (FIG. 7). The operator may then enter the authorization
code into the charging system 120 to initiate charging.
Alternatively, the authorization code may be transmitted by the
utility 118 to the operators cell phone, such as through SMS
messaging for example.
[0049] In some embodiments, the authentication for charging may not
require communication with the utility 118. For example, the
transponder signal may include identification data that the
charging station recognizes as being acceptable for charging. The
identification data may be in the form of a radio frequency
identification device ("RFID") or a media access control ("MAC")
address. In one embodiment, the cable 69 includes a circuit having
a MAC address that communicates with the charging station to
provide authorization.
[0050] It should be appreciated that while the intermediary device
112 has been described in reference to a wireless router and a
cellular tower, other intermediary devices may be used. For
example, the intermediary device may be, but is not limited to: a
satellite, a paging system, a radio antenna, or a microwave antenna
for example. The intermediate device 112 may also be an electrical
meter associated with the charging station or the operators home or
facility.
[0051] Referring now to FIG. 6 a mobile monitoring device 130 is
illustrated. The monitoring device 130 includes a housing 132
containing the meter 66, current transformer 68, controller 72,
battery 80 and power electronics 82 as described herein above. In
this embodiment, the monitoring device 130 is sized to fit in a
trunk 134 or the rear area of the plug-in electric vehicle 48. It
is desirable for the mobile monitoring device 130 to be transported
by a single person. In the exemplary embodiment, the mobile
metering device 130 weighs less than 50 lbs.
[0052] A first electrical cable 136 couples to the connector 73 to
connect the monitoring device 130 to a port 138 on the plug-in
electric vehicle 48. Similarly, a second electrical cable 140
connects the connector 71 to the outlet 67 such as in at the
residence 46 for example. It should be appreciated that the
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 provides a number of advantages.
Where the manufacturer does not configure the plug-in electric
vehicle with separate metering, the monitoring device 130 allows
the customer and the utility to provide the functionality with no
modification of the plug-in electric vehicle 48. Further, if the
customer has multiple vehicles, the monitoring device 130 may be
moved between the vehicles on an as-needed basis.
[0053] Another embodiment of the monitoring device is illustrated
in FIG. 7. In this embodiment, the plug-in electric vehicle 48
includes an in-vehicle computer system 124 having a display 142
located adjacent the drivers seat, such as in dashboard 144 for
example. The in-vehicle computer system 124 provides operational
functionality and a user interface for the driver. For example, the
in-vehicle computer system 124 may provide operating information
such as the amount of charge left in battery 58, the mode of
propulsion (gasoline or battery), or the amount of miles left until
more gasoline or a recharge will be required. The in-vehicle
computer system may also provide other functionality such as a
navigation system or an entertainment system for example. It may be
desirable to provide the in-vehicle computer system access to the
network 114, such as to provide traffic updates or the location of
the nearest charging station for example.
[0054] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the in-vehicle computer
system 124 includes a wireless device 146, such as IEEE 802.11
(Wifi). The wireless device 146 is adapted to communicate with the
monitoring device 60. The monitoring device 60 acts as a gateway to
provide communications for the in-vehicle computer system 124 to
the network 114. This provides an advantage to the operator since
the operator will not need an additional service provider to gain
access to the Internet. Further, since the monitoring device 60
includes a plurality of communications devices 94, 96, 98, 100,
102, 104, 106, the ability of the operator to obtain reliable and
the cost effective communications may be achieved.
[0055] Referring now to FIG. 8, a method 150 for metering
electrical consumption for an electric vehicle is shown. The method
150 starts in block 152. Where pre-authorization is required, an
optional query block 154 determines whether the plug-in electric
vehicle is authorized to charge. For example, the customer's
account is current or the electrical outlet usage is not restricted
to particular vehicles. The authorization for charging may be
received via communications devices 94, 96, 98, 100, 102, 104, 106,
for example. In one embodiment, the authorization may also be
provided via components in the monitoring device 60, such as a
radio-frequency identification ("RFID") circuit. In another
embodiment, the communications circuit may have a unique media
access control ("MAC") address that is communicated to a charging
station. Finally, in another embodiment, the operator may enable
authorization using an identification/account card. Such as by
inserting an identification/account card into a kiosk for example.
If query block 154 returns a negative, the method 150 loops back to
start block 152 and the vehicle is not charged. If the query block
154 returns a positive, or if authorization is not required, then
method 150 proceeds to block 156.
[0056] Query block 156 determines whether the vehicle needs to be
charged. If query block 156 returns a negative, the method 150
loops back to the start block 152. If query block 156 returns a
positive, the method 150 proceeds to block 158 where the flow of
electricity is initiated to the plug-in electric vehicle. The
method 150 then proceeds to block 160 where the consumption of
electrical power by the plug-in electric vehicle is recorded. Once
charging has been completed, either because the batteries are fully
recharged, or because the operator interrupts the charging, the
method 150 proceeds to query block 162.
[0057] With the electrical consumption recorded, the method 150
will attempt to communicate the consumption and/or authorization
data to the utility or electrical provider. Query block 162
determines whether there are any communications carriers available
for the transmission of the data. If the query block 162 returns a
negative, such as if the operator is in a rural area, for example,
the method 150 proceeds to block 164 where the data is stored. The
method 150 waits in block 166 until the vehicle is moved before
looping back to query block 162 to determine if any communications
carriers are available. It should be appreciated that the block 166
may be based on time (e.g. periodically attempting transmission),
or based on vehicle location such as by using a GPS device.
[0058] It should further be appreciated that once the data is
stored in block 164, the method 150 may loop back to start block
152 if the operator once again couples the vehicle for charging. In
this embodiment, the additional electrical consumption charging
will be recorded as described above.
[0059] When the query block 162 determines that one or more
communications carriers are available, the method 150 proceeds to
query block 168 where it is determined if there are multiple
carriers available. If query block 168 returns a positive, the
method 150 proceeds to block 170 where the communications carrier
is selected based on one or more predefined criteria. For example,
the selection may be based on cost of communicating via the
carrier, and the lower cost carrier would be selected. The criteria
may also be based on other factors, such as the quality or strength
of the carrier signal.
[0060] Once the communications carrier has been selected, or if the
query block 168 returns a negative, the method 150 proceeds to
block 172 where the data is transmitted to the utility or
electrical service provider. The method 150 then loops back to
start block 152 where the process begins again.
[0061] The use of plug-in electric vehicles is expected to reduce
the overall amount of carbon emissions from the driving of personal
vehicles since the emissions associated with generating electricity
are lower than the cumulative emissions from fossil fuel based
automobiles. One method of tracking emissions is called a "carbon
credit." Under international treaties, such as the Kyoto Protocol,
carbon emission quotas are imposed on countries to place a cap on
emissions. Each nation in turn places quotas on industries within
their country. A carbon credit is a tradable commodity that is
created through "green" or low emission activities. Through the use
of carbon credits, a high emission operator may offset their
emissions by purchasing credits from the producers of the carbon
credits. It should be appreciated that while the embodiments
discussed herein have referred to accounts or "fund" transfers,
these transfers may also be in the form of a carbon credit.
Further, due to the increased electrical demand from plug-in
electric vehicles, utilities may have increased emissions even
though the over all combined emission levels are lower. It is
contemplated that the utilities. Governmental entities, or third
parties would be provided carbon credits or some other offset
associated with providing of electrical power to plug-in electric
vehicles.
[0062] It should be appreciated that a system of authorized utility
accounts may be advantageous to governmental tax authorities as
well. As the availability and proliferation of plug-in electric
vehicles expands, the tax base of what is known as "road use taxes"
will decrease as well. Road use taxes are generated from the sale
of fuel, such as gasoline for example, and used by governmental
authorities to build and maintain the system of roadways used by
society. By using less fuel the plug-in electric vehicle owner will
continue to use the roadways while paying less in taxes for that
use. While this may be desirable to the individual, in the long
term this could be detrimental for society. By maintaining the
utility accounts that segregate electrical consumption by plug-in
electric vehicle from that of the normal residential electrical
loads. While a new road-use tax could be imposed on the electricity
consumed by the end users, this could unfairly penalize those
utility customers who own conventional combustion engine vehicles.
These end users would end up paying for road taxes twice, once on
their gasoline purchase and then again with their electricity
consumption. By implementation of the utility accounts and the
segregating plug-in electric consumption from the other residential
loads, the governmental tax authority is provided with an
appropriate means for collecting road use taxes without penalizing
other residences that do not have a plug-in electric vehicle.
[0063] While the invention has been described in detail in
connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be
readily understood that the invention is not limited to such
disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to
incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or
equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are
commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention.
Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been
described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may
include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the
invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing
description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended
claims.
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