METHOD FOR CARRYING OUT A CHARGING PROCESS OF A VEHICLE-EXTERNAL CHARGING APPARATUS FOR CHARGING A VEHICLE, AND CHARGING APPARATUS

Abstract

A method is provided for carrying out a charging process of a vehicle-external charging apparatus (1) for charging a vehicle (2), in particular an electric or hybrid vehicle. The method includes using a current measuring instrument (3) of the charging apparatus (1) to measure a charging current. The method then includes closing a first contactor (4) of the charging apparatus (1) and a second contactor (5) of the vehicle (2) for a time period that is measured by the current measuring instrument (3). A charging apparatus (1) for performing the method also is provided.

Claims

1. A method for carrying out a charging process of a vehicle-external charging apparatus for charging a vehicle, the method comprising measuring a charging current by a current measuring instrument of the charging apparatus and the current measuring instrument for measuring a time period in which a first contactor of the charging apparatus and a second contactor of the vehicle are closed.

2. The method of claim 1, the measuring of the time period is carried out by an evaluation device of the current measuring instrument.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a price for the charging process is determined the measured charging current and the measured time period.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the evaluation device has a display device, and the method comprises separately displaying on the display device respective amounts for charging and for parking.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the time period comprises transmitting information about whether the first contactor is open or closed from a first positively driven auxiliary contact of the first contactor via a first sensor line to the evaluation device of the current measuring instrument, and transmitting information about whether the second contactor is open or closed from a second positively driven auxiliary contact of the second contactor via a second sensor line to the evaluation device of the current measuring instrument.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring an electrical voltage between the vehicle and the charging station.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the measuring an electrical voltage between the vehicle and the charging station comprises measuring the electrical voltage between the first contactor and the second contactor.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising measuring a time period in which the electrical voltage is not equal to zero volts and comparing the time period in which the electrical voltage is not equal to zero volts to the time period in which a first contactor of the charging apparatus and a second contactor of the vehicle are closed.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein information about whether the second contactor is open or closed is determined by measuring electrical voltage with the first contactor open.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising terminating the charging process after exceeding of a maximum time duration before the first and second contactors are closed.

11. A charging apparatus for charging a vehicle, the charging apparatus comprising a current measuring instrument for measuring a charging current and measuring a time period in which a first contactor of the charging apparatus and a second contactor of the vehicle are closed.

12. The charging apparatus of claim 11, wherein the current measuring instrument comprises an evaluation device for measuring the time period.

13. The charging apparatus of claim 12, wherein the evaluation device has a display device that separately displays respective amounts for charging and for parking.

14. The charging apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a voltmeter for measuring an electrical voltage between the vehicle and the charging station.

15. The charging apparatus of claim 12, wherein the evaluation device and the current measuring instrument are arranged in a common housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the disclosed charging apparatus that can be operated in accordance with the disclosed method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a vehicle-external charging apparatus 1 for charging a vehicle 2 having an electric drive. Such charging apparatuses 1 often are installed in publicly accessible manner parking locations. The vehicle 2 can be stopped and parked in front of the charging apparatus 1 and connected to the charging apparatus 1 by way of a charging cable 9. The driver of the vehicle 2 usually is billed an amount that is dependent exclusively on the amount of energy transferred while the vehicle is parked. The costs for providing the parking space in front of the charging apparatus 1 are not determined, but rather are already settled with the amount of energy paid for. This often has the consequence that the charging process is artificially prolonged to use a parking space in a cost-effective way. This means a significant reduction of turnover for the operator of the charging apparatus 1 since the charging apparatus 1 is not available for other vehicles during this time. This problem is taken into account by the method shown here and the charging apparatus 1 shown here.

[0022] A current measuring instrument 3 of the charging apparatus 1 may be a commercially available instrument that measures the charging current that flows from the charging apparatus 1 to the vehicle 2, and a price then is determined by an evaluation device 6 of the current measuring instrument 3. Furthermore, a time period of the charging process is determined by the evaluation device 6. To that end, the evaluation device 6 measures the time period in which a first contactor 4 of the charging apparatus 1 and a second contactor 5 of the vehicle 2 are simultaneously closed.

[0023] The evaluation device 6 may comprise or communicate with a computer that may comprise one or more general-purpose processors (CPUs) or microprocessors, RISC processors, GPUs and/or DSPs. The evaluation device 6 or an associated computer has, for example, additional elements such as storage interfaces of the communication interfaces. Optionally or additionally, the terms refer to a device that is capable of executing a provided or included program, preferably with standardized programming language (for example C++, JavaScript or Python), and/or of controlling and/or accessing data storage devices and/or other devices such as input interfaces and output interfaces. The term computer also refers to a multiplicity of processors or a multiplicity of (sub)computers that are interconnected and/or connected and/or otherwise communicatively connected and possibly share one or more other resources, such as for example a memory.

[0024] The evaluation device 6 or an associated computer may have a memory such as a hard disk (HDD) or a (nonvolatile) solid state memory, for example a ROM store or flash memory [flash EEPROM]. The memory often comprises a plurality of individual physical units or is distributed over a multiplicity of separate devices, as a result of which access thereto takes place via data communication, for example package data service.

[0025] The first contactor 4 has a first positively driven auxiliary contact 4.1 that is connected to the evaluation device 6 via a first signal line 4.2. The second contactor 5 has a second positively driven auxiliary contact 5.1 that preferably is connected to the evaluation device 6 via a second signal line. The second signal line is integrated partly in the charging cable 9 and therefore is not illustrated here.

[0026] An electrical voltage between the vehicle 2 and the charging apparatus 1 is measured and monitored by a commercially available voltage measuring apparatus. If one of the contactors 4, 5 is closed, then the voltage is not equal to zero volts. Consequently, with the first contactor 4 open, for example, it is possible to make a statement about the switching state of the second contactor 5, without having to rely on the second signal line and the second positively driven auxiliary contact 5.1.

[0027] The time period in which both contactors 4, 5 are closed defines the duration of the charging process, that is to say the charging duration. The vehicle 2 can request a charging current of zero A for artificially prolonging the charging process. However, in accordance with the disclosed process and apparatus, an amount for the use of the parking area in front of the charging apparatus 1 can be billed based on stored charging and cost data, with that amount corresponding to the prolongation of the charging duration. A delay before the closing the two contactors 4, 5 is prevented by virtue of all method steps that precede the closing of the contactors 4, 5 being provided with a time-out. In this regard, by way of example, the establishing of communication between vehicle 2 and charging apparatus 1 is terminated if the vehicle 2 does not respond within a certain time.

[0028] From the time period in which both contactors 4, 5 are closed and the measured charging current, the evaluation device 6 calculates an exact price for the utilization of the charging station 1. This price can be displayed by the display device 8 together with the amount of charged energy and the time period. The evaluation device 6 and the current measuring instrument 3 are arranged and calibrated in a common housing 7 with corresponding cost efficiencies.