Method for controlling and prioritizing a user-specific recharging of an energy storage device of a motor vehicle and a control device, charging management device, server apparatus, and motor vehicle for achieving the same

Abstract

A method for controlling a charging operation of an energy storage device of a motor vehicle. A control device carries out the following: establishment of a prioritization of a motor vehicle for user-specific recharging of the energy storage device on the basis of the established prioritization; determination of a charging capacity predetermined by the prioritization for a recharging operation, depending on the determined charging capacity; creation of a digital certificate, which describes the determined charging capacity; and transmission of the created certificate to a charging management device of the motor vehicle. Depending on the charging capacity described by the certificate transmitted to the charging management device of the motor vehicle: generation of a control signal, which describes a course of the charging operation with the described charging capacity; and transmission of the created control signal to an energy delivery device of a charging station apparatus. Optionally, the charging capacity can be reduced by the certificate in the motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a charging operation of an energy storage device of a motor vehicle, comprising the following steps carried out by a control device: establishment of a prioritization of a motor vehicle for user-specific recharging of the energy storage device by which the motor vehicle may receive a greater charging capacity than a non-prioritized motor vehicle or a lower-prioritized motor vehicle, on the basis of the established prioritization, determination of a charging capacity for a recharging operation predetermined by the prioritization, depending on the determined charging capacity, creation of a digital certificate, which describes the determined charging capacity, and transmission of the created certificate to a charging management device of the motor vehicle and storage of the created certificate in a central high-security certificate control unit of the motor vehicle, the method being characterized, in addition, by the following steps: depending on the charging capacity described in the certificate transmitted to the charging management device of the motor vehicle, generation of a control signal, which describes a course of the charging operation with the described charging capacity, and transmission of the generated control signal to an energy delivery device of a charging station apparatus, wherein, depending on the charging station apparatus, the control signal is modified to communicate a vehicle charging capacity that is different from a rated charging capacity of the energy storage device of the motor vehicle in order to achieve the established prioritization.

2. The method according to claim 1, the following steps carried out by a charging management device of the charging station apparatus: receipt of the certificate from the charging management device of the motor vehicle, and readout of the determined charging capacity on the basis of the received certificate, wherein the control signal is generated by the charging management device of the charging station apparatus.

3. The method according to claim 1, the following step carried out by the charging management device of the motor vehicle: depending on the control signal, setting of the charging capacity of the energy storage device to a value described by the certificate, wherein the control signal is generated by the charging management device of the motor vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the digital certificate is generated as a function of a current position of the motor vehicle, and/or a predetermined point in time and/or a predetermined period of time, and/or a location of the charging station apparatus, and/or a monetary amount received from a user account of a user of the motor vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 1, the following step that is carried out by the control device: establishment of a registration of the motor vehicle as an emergency vehicle with a predetermined right of way under traffic law, wherein the charging capacity is determined depending on the established registration.

6. A control device, preferably having a processor device, wherein the control device is equipped for the purpose of carrying out the method steps relating to a control device in accordance with a method of the claim 1.

7. A motor vehicle having a control device according to claim 6.

8. A server apparatus external to the motor vehicle for operation in the Internet, having a control device according to claim 6.

9. A charging management device, preferably having a processor device, wherein the charging management device is equipped for the purpose of carrying out the method steps relating to a charging management device in accordance with a method of claim 1.

10. A motor vehicle having a charging management device according to claim 9.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the digital certificate comprises an expiration date, after which date the digital certificate is deemed invalid and can no longer authorize the charging operation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

(1) In the following, exemplary embodiments of the invention are described. Shown for this purpose are:

(2) FIG. 1 a schematic illustration relating to a first embodiment of the method according to the invention; and

(3) FIG. 2 a schematic illustration relating to another embodiment of the method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) The exemplary embodiments explained in the following are preferred embodiments of the invention. In the exemplary embodiments, the described components of the embodiment each represent individual features of the invention that are to be regarded independently of one another and that each further develop the invention independently of one another and hence are to be regarded, also individually or in a combination different from those shown, as belonging to the invention. Furthermore, the described embodiment can also be augmented by additional features of the already described features of the invention.

(5) In the figures, functionally identical elements are furnished with the same reference numbers.

(6) FIG. 1 illustrates the principle of the method according to the invention on the basis of a first exemplary embodiment. For this purpose, FIG. 1 shows a motor vehicle 10, which, by way of example, is standing just then at a charging station apparatus 12 in order to charge an energy storage device 14 of the motor vehicle 10.

(7) The motor vehicle 10 can be designed, for example, as a passenger car and as an electric motor vehicle. The energy storage device 14 can be designed, for example, as a traction battery. The motor vehicle 10 has a charging management device 16, which, by way of example, can have a processor device 18 with, for example, a plurality of microprocessors. The charging management device 16 of the motor vehicle 10 of FIG. 1 further has an optional storage device 20, in which a corresponding program code for carrying out the method according to the invention can be stored.

(8) FIG. 1 also shows a server apparatus 22 external to the motor vehicle, which can have a control device 24, wherein the control device 24 of the server apparatus 22 has an optional processor device 18 and an optional storage device 20.

(9) The server apparatus 22 can be connected to the motor vehicle 10 via a data communication link 25, for example. For a communication between the motor vehicle and the control device 24 of the server apparatus 22, it is possible to provide, for example, a communication device 26 of the motor vehicle, which can be designed as an apparatus for creating data communication links as known to the person skilled in the art. The communication device 26 can be connected to the control device 24 via, for example, a wireless connection and/or an Internet connection to the control device 24.

(10) Optionally, the motor vehicle 10 can have a control device 24, which can carry out the method step of the control device described further below.

(11) The charging station apparatus 12 of FIG. 1 also shows a charging management device 16, which can be provided optionally. FIG. 1 also shows an energy delivery device 28 of the charging station apparatus 12, which, for example, can have an induction coil and/or a cable for so-called conductive charging and/or a pantograph current collector and/or another technology known to the person skilled in the art for delivering energy.

(12) In a first method step S1, the control device 24 establishes a prioritization of the motor vehicle 10 for specific charging of the energy storage device 14. For example, a user of the motor vehicle 10 may have purchased by means of a mobile end device (not shown in FIG. 1) or by use of computer, for example, a flat rate for charging of the energy storage device 14 with a charging capacity of 80 to 100 kilowatts, that is, [at] a corresponding charging speed. On the basis of this purchase operation, the prioritization can be established (S1). On the basis of the prioritization, the predetermined charging capacity, that is, by way of example, the charging speed of 80 to 100 kilowatts is established (S2).

(13) In the method step S3, the control device 24 creates a digital certificate 30, which can describe the prioritization and the charging capacity. In this case the certificate 30 can be a file, which can describe a charging speed by way of example. The certificate created in the method step S3 is transmitted to the charging management device 16 (S4) via, for example, an Internet connection or a wireless connection. Optionally, the charging management device 16 can comprise, for example, a central high-security certificate control unit 17, in which the certificate 30 is deposited and, when needed, for example, can be further transmitted to another component of the charging management device 16.

(14) The certificate 30 that is received by the communication device 26, for example, can be transmitted by the latter to the storage device 20, where the digital certificate 30 can be stored.

(15) In the example of FIG. 1, the motor vehicle 10 is shown as it is standing just then at the charging station apparatus 12 and is already connected by means of a cable 32 to the energy delivery device 28. The operation for creating the certificate 30 and the transmission of the certificate 30 to the motor vehicle 10, which were described further above, can also take place independently of the charging operation; that is, the method steps described further above can preferably take place in any desired period of time prior to a charging operation and depend neither on a connection to the charging station apparatus 12 nor on a location of the charging station apparatus 12. The use of the certificate 30 for controlling the charging operation takes place only when the motor vehicle 10 drives to any desired charging station apparatus 12 and the charging operation is to be initiated.

(16) Serving to control the charging operation is a control signal, which, for example, can be generated by the charging management device 16 of the motor vehicle 10 (S5). The control signal can then describe a setting of the charging capacity described by the certificate 30, that is, by way of example, the 80 to 100 kilowatts. The control signal can be transmitted to the energy storage device 14, for example, or else directly transmitted from, for example, a control chip of the charging management device 16 for regulation and/or specification of the charging capacity and/or for controlling the charging capacity. Alternatively, the control signal describing the charging capacity can be transmitted directly to the energy delivery device 28 of the charging station apparatus 12 via a wireless connection or a cable connection 32, for example. The charging of the energy storage device 14 then occurs depending on the control signal, so that the charging station apparatus 12 does not actively set the charging capacity, but rather simply follows the specifications of the control signal from the charging management device 16 of the motor vehicle 10. The charging of the energy storage device 14 can then occur in the method step S7.

(17) In an alternative exemplary embodiment, the charging management device 16 of the charging station apparatus 12 can receive the certificate 30, instead of the control signal, from the charging management device 16 of the motor vehicle 10 (S8) via the cable connection 32 or via a wireless connection or an Internet connection, for example. Shown in FIG. 1, by way of example, is a corresponding data communication link 25 between the two charging management devices 16, although the transmission can alternatively also occur via the communication device 26 of the motor vehicle 10 and/or via a communication device of the charging station apparatus 12.

(18) In this example, the charging station apparatus 12 can have, for example, a reader and/or software of the charging management device 16 for readout and/or evaluation of the certificate 30. Such corresponding hardware and/or software can read out and/or evaluate the certificate 30 (S9) and the charging management device 16 [of the vehicle] can generate a corresponding control signal (S5) and transmit it to the energy delivery device 28 (S6).

(19) If the motor vehicle 10 is, for example, an emergency vehicle, such as, for example, an ambulance, then the motor vehicle can be registered as such, for example, and a corresponding registration can be retrieved by the control device 24, for example, or transmitted to the control device 24. The certificate 30 can then describe this registration as a charging with prioritized treatment at a charging station apparatus 12 and/or, for example depending on the registration, can set the charging capacity at a charging capacity of 120 kilowatts, for example (S2).

(20) Overall, the examples show how a prioritization and/or control of a charging capacity of electric vehicles and/or hybrid vehicles is made possible, such as, for example, a backend-controlled prioritization.

(21) In accordance with another exemplary embodiment, it is possible, for example, by way of an online connection via, for example, the server apparatus 22, which, by way of example, can be designed as a backend of the vehicle manufacturer, to introduce into the motor vehicle 10 a marker or a plurality of markers, that is, a digital certificate 30 or a plurality of digital certificates 30, which makes or make possible a prioritization of the charging capacity. In accordance with a first variant of the charging station apparatus 12for example, a charging polethe digital certificate 30, which is responsible for adjusting the charging capacity (faster or slower charging/pause in charging/end of charging), can be read out (S9) and/or interpreted and the charging capacity can then be adjusted. In a second variant, a maximum/minimum allowed charging speed can, for example, be reduced in the motor vehicle 10; that is, the motor vehicle 10 does not at all draw more current than, by way of example, a charging pole would deliver, because, by way of example, the charging pole thinks that the motor vehicle 10 is only a motor vehicle 10 with a lower charging capacity.

(22) In accordance with another exemplary embodiment, it is additionally possible to provide for a private charging in that, by way of example, the use of such a certificate 30 is limited not only to public charging station apparatuses 12, but the charging can also be adapted to a private setting, if appropriate. Conceivable is, for example, a future control of motor vehicles 10 directly by a network operator and, accordingly, a bidirectional energy exchange in the case that, for example, an electrical power grid in Munich is under heavy load and motor vehicles 10 may be charged only with 3.6 kilowatts, whereas motor vehicles 10 connected in Ingolstadt are already fully charged and electrical power could be delivered in order to relieve the grid in Munich, for example.

(23) In accordance with another exemplary embodiment, the following three exemplary applied examples for public charging occur. In accordance with a first applied example, it is possible, for example, for a user to purchase an electric vehicle electricity agreement 34 through a provider of electricity for electric vehicles, such as, for example, a flat rate for a charging speed (for example 80 to 100 kilowatts) for 1000 per year (see FIG. 2). For a premium, the charging capacity at the charging pole can be increased further; for example, for 1200 per year, it is possible to charge faster between 120 to 150 kilowatts. A notification that faster and/or slower charging may be carried out can be introduced into the motor vehicle 10 online, for example, via a backend such as a server apparatus 22. It is possible, for example, to carry out an evaluation via, by way of example, either the charging pole or the motor vehicle 10 and, for example, to evaluate a reduced maximally possible charging capacity.

(24) In a second applied example, it is possible, for example, for a police patrol car, a fire department vehicle, or a VIP vehicle to have a higher charging priority than a normal vehicle and accordingly to be charged with priority, because, for example, the certificate 30 of the emergency vehicle displays a preferential treatment.

(25) In accordance with a third applied example, a user or a plurality of users can spontaneously order, for example, a faster charging when they have chosen beforehand, for example, a slower contract, but are especially in a hurry today (for example, purchase of an upgrade package to charge faster one time for 2.99 ).

(26) In accordance with another exemplary embodiment, a certificate 30 can be cancelled or retracted, for example, or the certificate 30 can be declared invalid when, for example, an expiration date described by the certificate has passed.

(27) In accordance with another exemplary embodiment relating to, by way of example, a technical implementation, the certificate 30, that is, by way of example, the marker, can be introduced, for example, by way of an online connection of the motor vehicle 10. For this purpose, FIG. 2 shows once again a schematic illustration relating to this further exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention.

(28) A user of the motor vehicle 10 can be, for example, a customer at a motor vehicle manufacturer and may have concluded, in the method step S11, for example, an electric vehicle electricity agreement 34 with a provider of electricity for motor vehicles on, for example, a flat rate with a guaranteed charging capacity of 120 to 150 kilowatts. The data can optionally be deposited in the control device 24 of the server apparatus 22. The control device 24 of the server apparatus 22 creates a digital certificate 30 for the motor vehicle 10 (S3) in question and delivers it, for example, by transmitting it to the motor vehicle 10 (S4)for example, to a charging management device 16 of the motor vehicle 10. The certificate 30 can be stored in the motor vehicle 10 (S12) in, for example, the charging management device 16, which can be, for example a component of an onboard charging unit and/or another charging device, such as, for example, a charging control device or a certificate control instrument 17.

(29) In a first variant, the certificate 30 can be transmitted via, for example, an ISO standard to the charging station apparatus 12, which, by way of example, is a charging pole, and interpreted there, that is, for example, evaluated and/or read out. This variant can be used depending on the intelligence of the charging pole.

(30) In a second variant, the certificate 30 in the motor vehicle 10 can trigger a behavior that causes the charging pole to believe that a motor vehicle 10 with lower charging capacity is connected (independent of charging pole).

(31) FIG. 2 likewise illustrates an exemplary embodiment, in accordance with which the motor vehicle 10 can be, for example, a police vehicle, which can always be charged with a maximum capacity and prioritized over other customers or users at the charging pole.