A system and method for managing vehicle charging stations such that when at least two of a plurality of electric vehicle charging stations (also known as electric vehicle service equipment, or EVSE) occupied with vehicles awaiting a charge, the present system manages the charging of individual vehicles in cases where the aggregated demand for charging exceeds the capacity of the circuits supplying the plurality of EVSE. By cycling so that only a few of the vehicles are charging at a time, the demand on the circuits is kept below a predetermined limit. In cases where a load shedding event is in progress, the limit can be further reduced. In cases where the cost of electricity is varying dynamically, the system considers a driver's explicit charging requirements (if any) and preferences for opportunistic charging when the price of electricity is not too high.

A switched mode power supply comprises a communication interface including an address terminal configured to couple to an external resistor for setting a communication address of the switched mode power supply. A control circuit is configured to determine the value of the external resistor a first time with a first technique and set the communication address of the switched mode power supply based on the value of the external resistor determined using the first technique if the value of the external resistor is greater than the threshold value. The control circuit is also configured to, if the value of the external resistor is less than the threshold value, determine the value of the external resistor a second time with a second technique and set the communication address of the switched mode power supply based on the value of the external resistor determined using the second technique.

Systems and methods for charging electric vehicles and for quantitative and qualitative load balancing of electrical demand are provided.

A system architecture and method for enabling hierarchical intelligent control with appropriate-speed communication and coordination of control using intelligent distributed impedance/voltage injection modules, local intelligence centers, other actuator devices and miscellaneous FACTS coupled actuator devices is disclosed. Information transfer to a supervisory utility control is enabled for responding to integral power system disturbances, system modelling and optimization. By extending the control and communication capability to the edge of the HV power grid, control of the distribution network through FACTS based Demand response units is also enabled. Hence an integrated and hierarchical total power system control is established with distributed impedance/voltage injection modules, local intelligence centers, connected other actuator devices, miscellaneous FACTS coupled devices and utility supervisory all networked at appropriate speeds allowing optimization of the total power system from generation to distribution.

A power monitoring and signal unit provided with projecting connectors at a first face and sockets for receiving like connectors in a second opposite face, and circuitry for monitoring power flow through said unit when projecting connectors are plugged into a mains power outlet; and unit further provided with transceiver circuitry for the transmission and reception of data including command and control data. The power monitoring and signal unit may be in communication with a programmable sensor device comprising an individual signal and registered by an owner of individual signal unit with a central control facility. The individual signal unit communicates with central control facility when an event sensor activates said individual signal unit; central control facility executing a user-assembled schedule of predefined steps on receipt of a communication from individual signal unit, predefined steps configured or reconfigurable by an owner of said individual signal unit from a web site.

An electric vehicle charging station charging electric vehicles dynamically responds to power limit messages. The charging station includes a charging port that is configured to electrically connect to an electric vehicle to provide power to charge that electric vehicle. The charging station also includes a power control unit coupled with the charging port, the power control unit configured to control an amount of power provided through the charging port. The charging station also includes a set of one or more charging station control modules that are configured to, in response to receipt of a message that indicates a request to limit an amount of power to an identified percentage and based on a history of power provided through the charging port over a period of time, cause the power control unit to limit the power provided through the charging port to the identified percentage.

A power identification device at least includes a measurement information acquisition unit for acquiring the amount of power generation by a power producer and the amount of power consumption by a consumer respectively as measurement information, a rule management unit for managing a generation rule for generating attribute information, a distribution rule and a loss rule for distributing the attribute information to the consumer, the attribute information containing a primary attribute related to each of the amount of power generation and the amount of power consumption and an additive attribute related to the amount of power generation, an attribute computation unit for generating the attribute information from the measurement information based on the generation rule and distributing the attribute information from the power producer to the consumer based on the distribution rule and the loss rule, and an attribute output (visualization) unit for outputting the attribute information to the outside.

A matrix-type flexible charging pile and a charging method capable of dynamically allocating power are disclosed in the present invention, and the method comprises the steps of: S1, connecting each charging terminal to a corresponding electric vehicle; S2, receiving a charging power demand of the electric vehicle and comparing the charging power demand; S3, calculating the number of charging modules required to be additionally allocated to the present DC-bus and delivering it to a matrix controller; and S4, allocating the required number of charging modules in a dynamic power region to the corresponding DC bus and switching the module communication line to a corresponding communication bus synchronously. The implementation of the charging method capable of dynamically allocating power can satisfy the electric vehicle charging demands for different energy storage capacities and different charging rates, as well as improve the conversion efficiency and the utilization rate of the charging device further.

Dynamic allocation of power modules for charging electric vehicles is described herein. The charging system includes multiple dispensers that each include one or more power modules that can supply power to any one of the dispensers at a time. A dispenser includes a first power bus that is switchably connected to one or more local power modules and switchably connected to one or more power modules located remotely in another dispenser. The one or more local power modules are switchably connected to a second power bus in the other dispenser. The dispenser includes a control unit that is to cause the local power modules and the remote power modules to switchably connect and disconnect from the first power bus to dynamically allocate the power modules between the dispenser and the other dispenser.

A battery pack is provided. The battery pack including a plurality of battery cells; a cell holder including a peripheral wall and a plurality of cell storage units; and a plurality of ribs integrally molded with the cell holder between the peripheral wall of the cell holder and the cell storage unit.