Method for determining a combination of energy storage units that output electric energy during charging by comparing an electric quantity level of each energy storage unit to an average electric quantity after performing the charging

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile charging device, a mobile charging system and a mobile charging method. Said mobile charging system (1000) comprises an order system (100), a mobile charging device (200) and a charged object (300). Said mobile charging device (200) comprises a plurality of energy storage units (202.sub.1202.sub.n) and a power controller (201) connected to said plurality of energy storage units (202.sub.1202.sub.n) via an internal communication bus. In addition, said mobile charging device (200) further comprises a voltage transformer (203.sub.1203.sub.n) and/or a switch array (204).

Claims

1. A mobile charging method, characterized by comprising: step a: determining a combination of energy storage units that output electric energy during charging according to an electric quantity level of each of the energy storage units used for the charging and a quantity of electricity needed for the charging; and step b: calculating a charging output power of each energy storage unit included in the combination of energy storage units; wherein said step a includes: a charging task information obtaining step for obtaining the quantity of electricity needed for the charging and a required time length for the charging; an energy storage unit electric quantity obtaining step for obtaining the electric quantity level of each of the energy storage units; an average electric quantity calculating step for calculating an average electric quantity before performing the charging for the combination of energy storage units based on the electric quantity level of each energy storage unit, and estimating the average electric quantity after performing the charging based on the needed quantity of electricity and the average electric quantity before performing the charging; and a step for determining the combination of energy storage units, which determines the combination of energy storage units that output electric energy during the charging by means of comparing the electric quantity level of each energy storage unit to the average electric quantity after performing the charging.

2. The mobile charging method according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising: step c: controlling a switch array arranged corresponding to the combination of energy storage units through instructions related to the combination of energy storage units, so that respective switch units included therein change into an ON state.

3. The mobile charging method according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising: step d: transforming voltages output by each energy storage unit included in the combination of energy storage units according to instructions related to the charging output power, so that said energy storage units can output electric energy during the charging according to the calculated corresponding charging output power.

4. The mobile charging method according to claim 1, wherein said step b includes: a step for determining a maximum output power of the energy storage unit, which determines the maximum output power of each of the energy storage units based on the electric quantity level of each energy storage unit; a step for obtaining electric quantity of a charged object, which obtains an electric quantity level of the charged object; a step for determining a maximum receiving power of the charged object, which determines the maximum receiving power of the charged objected based on an electric quantity level thereof; and a charging output power calculating step, which calculates the charging output power of each energy storage unit included in the combination of energy storage units based on the electric quantity level of each energy storage unit included in the combination of energy storage units and the corresponding maximum output power, the maximum receiving power of the charged object, the average electric quantity after performing the charging, and the required time for the charging.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a mobile charging system 1000 according to the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a power controller 201 according to the present invention;

(3) FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a mobile charging method according to the present invention;

(4) FIG. 4 is a flow chart of step a in the mobile charging method as shown in FIG. 3 according to the present invention; and

(5) FIG. 5 is a flow chart of step b in the mobile charging method as shown in FIG. 3 according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) The mobile charging device, mobile charging system and mobile charging method of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the drawings. It shall be noted that the following specific embodiments are exemplary but not restrictive, and they are provided for facilitating basic understanding of the present invention, but they do not intend to determine the key or decisive factors or define the claimed protection scope of the present invention

(7) FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a mobile charging system 1000 according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, said mobile charging system 1000 comprises an order system 100, a mobile charging device 200 and a charged object 300.

(8) The order system 100 is communicatively connected to the mobile charging device 200 for distributing charging tasks to the mobile charging device 200. For example, in some embodiments, the order system 100 can be a cloud service platform, which sends charging task related information to the mobile charging device 200 by means of wireless communication. In some embodiments, the charging task may include information like the quantity of electricity needed and the required time for charging service in the charging to be performed.

(9) The mobile charging device 200 comprises n (n being a positive integer greater than 1) energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n and a power controller 201.

(10) In some embodiments, the mobile charging device 200 can be a mobile charging vehicle. Of course, application of the mobile charging device 200 is not limited to this. Any device that has the structure of the mobile charging device according to the present invention and that supplies electric energy to other devices in a mobile manner shall fall into the scope of the present invention.

(11) The n energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n are connected in parallel to each other and are configured to at least partially output electric energy during charging. In some embodiments, each of said n energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n may either comprise only one energy storage battery or comprise a plurality of energy storage batteries. According to the present invention, in order to maintain balance among the remaining electric quantity of the energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n after performing each charging task, each time before the mobile charging device 200 is to start performing a new charging task, it is necessary to determine which ones of the n energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n will be used for performing the charging.

(12) The power controller 201 and the n energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n are connected in a manner to enable data communication therebetween. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the power controller 201 is connected to the n energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n via an internal communication bus so as to read the electric quantity levels from the n energy storage units 2021202n. It shall be noted that said internal communication bus includes but is not limited to CAN bus.

(13) As shown in FIG. 1, the power controller 201 determines a combination of energy storage units that output electric energy during charging according to an obtained electric quantity level Qi (i being a positive integer and 1in) of each of the n energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n and a quantity of electricity Qx needed for the charging, and calculates a charging output power Pi (i being a positive integer and 1in) of each energy storage unit included in the combination of energy storage units. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, for each new charging task, the power controller 201 obtains charging task related information from the order system 100, such as a quantity of electricity Qx needed in the charging task to be performed. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, each time the mobile charging device 200 supplies electric energy to the charged object 300, it will obtains the electric quantity level Qev of the charged object 300. As for the specific structure and working details of the power controller 201, they will be described specifically after.

(14) Preferably, in some embodiments, the mobile charging device 200 may further comprise a switch array 204. As shown in FIG. 1, the switch array 204 is arranged corresponding to the n energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n and is connected to the n energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n. It shall be noted that in the switch array 204, the number of switch units connected to each energy storage unit can be one or several. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, said switch array 204 is also connected to the power controller 201 to receive therefrom instructions CI related to the determined combination of energy storage units that output electric energy during charging. Said switch array 204 is controlled by said instructions CI, so that the switch units included therein and corresponding to the combination of energy storage units are all changed to an ON state, while the rest switch units are changed to an OFF state.

(15) Preferably, in some embodiments, the mobile charging device 200 may further comprise n voltage transformers 203.sub.1203.sub.n. As shown in FIG. 1, said n voltage transformers 203.sub.1203.sub.n are arranged corresponding to the n energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n and are respectively connected to the n energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, said voltage transformers 203.sub.1203.sub.n are also connected to the power controller 201 to receive therefrom instructions related to the charging output power Pi. Said voltage transformers 203.sub.1203.sub.n transform the voltage output from each energy storage unit included in the combination of energy storage units according to said instructions, so that said energy storage units can output electric energies during charging according to the calculated corresponding charging output power. It shall be noted that the voltage transformers 203.sub.1, 203.sub.2, . . . 203.sub.n can be but are not limited to DC-DC transformers.

(16) Further, it shall be noted that although FIG. 1 shows that the voltage transformers 203.sub.1203.sub.n are connected between corresponding energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n and the switch array 204, the structure of the mobile charging device 200 is not limited to this, and the switch array 204 can also be arranged between the respective energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n and voltage transformers 203.sub.1203.sub.n. In other words, it is only required that the voltage transformers 203.sub.1203.sub.n are connected to both the power controller 201 and the respective energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n, and/or the switch array 204 is connected to both the power controller 201 and the respective energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n.

(17) The charged object 300 is connected to the mobile charging device 200 and receives electric energy supply therefrom. As shown in FIG. 1, before performing the charging, the charged object 300 provides its own electric quantity level Qev to the mobile charging device 200. It shall be noted that the charged object 300 can be an electric vehicle, but it is not limited to this and can be other devices to be charged.

(18) Next, reference will be made to FIG. 2 to describe the specific structure and working details to the power controller 201 in the mobile charging device 200.

(19) FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a power controller 201 according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the power controller 201 comprises a charging task information obtaining unit 2011, an energy storage unit electric quantity obtaining unit 2012, an average electric quantity calculating unit 2013, a unit 2014 for determining a combination of energy storage units, a unit 2015 for determining a maximum output power of the energy storage unit, a unit 2016 for obtaining electric quantity of a charged object, a unit 2017 for determining a maximum receiving power of a charged object, and a charging output power calculating unit 2018.

(20) The charging task information obtaining unit 2011 obtains a quantity of electricity Qx needed for the charging and a required time length t1 of the charging service from the outside (e.g. the order system 100 shown in FIG. 1) of the mobile charging device 201 before each new charging task is to be performed, thus the mobile charging device 201 is aware that in the charging to be performed, electric energies corresponding to the needed quantity of electricity Qx are to be supplied to the charged object 300 within the required time length t1 of the charging service.

(21) The energy storage unit electric quantity obtaining unit 2012 obtains an electric quantity level Qi of each of the n energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n as shown in FIG. 1 before a new charging task is performed, and then provides the obtained electric quantity level Qi of each energy storage unit to the average electric quantity calculating unit 2013, the unit 2014 for determining a combination of energy storage units and the charging output power calculating unit 2018 for subsequent processing.

(22) The average electric quantity calculating unit 2013 calculates an average electric quantity before performing the charging Q.sub.AVG1 for n energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n based on the electric quantity level Qi of each energy storage unit, and the method for calculation is represented by formula 1 below:

(23) $\begin{array}{cc}{Q}_{\mathrm{AVG}1}=\frac{\underset{i=1}{\overset{n}{.Math.}}\mathrm{Qi}}{n}& \left(\mathrm{formula}1\right)\end{array}$
Then the average electric quantity calculating unit 2013 estimates an average electric quantity after performing the charging Q.sub.AVG2 based on the needed quantity of electricity Qx obtained by the charging task information obtaining unit 2011 and the average electric quantity before performing the charging Q.sub.AVG1 as calculated by the above formula 1, and the method for estimation is represented by formula 2 below:

(24) $\begin{array}{cc}{Q}_{\mathrm{AVG}2}=\frac{Q_{\mathrm{AVG}1}*n-\mathrm{Qx}}{m1*m2*n}& \left(\mathrm{formula}2\right)\end{array}$
wherein m1 is an efficiency of converting the chemical energy of the energy storage unit into electric energy, and m2 is an efficiency of transferring and converting electric energy into chemical energy.

(25) The unit 2014 for determining a combination of energy storage units determines a combination of energy storage units that output electric energy during charging by means of comparing the electric quantity level Qi of each energy storage unit among the n energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n to the average electric quantity after performing the charging Q.sub.AVG2 as estimated through the above formula 2. In some embodiments, the combination of energy storage units can be determined by such a rule as that if an energy storage battery i has an electric quantity level Qi smaller than the estimated average electric quantity after performing the charging Q.sub.AVG2, it is determined that the energy storage battery i does not participate in the charging to be performed, otherwise, if the energy storage battery i has an electric quantity level Qi greater than the estimated average electric quantity after performing the charging Q.sub.AVG2, it is determined that the energy storage battery i participates in the charging to be performed. According to such a rule, the combination of energy storage units that output electric energy during charging can be finally determined, wherein said combination of energy storage units includes in energy storage units (mn).

(26) As mentioned above, by means of the charging task information obtaining unit 2011, the energy storage unit electric quantity obtaining unit 2012, the average electric quantity calculating unit 2013, and the unit 2014 for determining a combination of energy storage units, the power controller 201 can determine the combination of energy storage units that output electric energy during charging.

(27) The unit 2015 for determining a maximum output power of the energy storage unit determines a maximum output power Pimax of each of the n energy storage units 2021202n based on the electric quantity level Qi of each energy storage unit. In some embodiments, the unit 2015 for determining a maximum output power of the energy storage unit can determine the maximum output power Pimax of each energy storage unit corresponding to the electric quantity level Qi through an electric quantity-maximum output power lookup table provided by a battery manufacturer. In some other embodiments, the unit 2015 for determining a maximum output power of the energy storage unit can determine the maximum output power Pimax of each energy storage unit corresponding to the electric quantity level Qi through a battery curve fitting function.

(28) The unit 2016 for obtaining electric quantity of a charged object obtains the electric quantity level of the charged object before each new charging task is performed and provides it to the unit 2017 for determining the maximum receiving power of the charged object.

(29) The unit 2017 for determining a maximum receiving power of a charged object determines a maximum receiving power Pcmax of the charged object based on the electric quantity level thereof obtained by the unit 2016 for obtaining electric quantity of a charged object, and provides the determined maximum receiving power Pcmax to the charging output power calculating unit 2018. In some embodiments, said maximum receiving power Pcmax can be obtained through looking up a table. In some other embodiments, said maximum receiving power Pcmax can be obtained through a curve fitting function of the charged object.

(30) The charging output power calculating unit 2018 calculates a charging output power Pi of each energy storage unit included in the combination of energy storage units (i.e. in energy storage units) based on the electric quantity level Qi of each energy storage unit included in the combination of energy storage units (i.e. in energy storage units) obtained by the energy storage unit electric quantity obtaining unit 2012 and the corresponding maximum output power Pimax, the maximum receiving power Pcmax of the charged object 300 determined by the unit 2017 for determining a maximum receiving power of a charged object, the average quantity of electricity after performing the charging Q.sub.AVG2 estimated by the average electric quantity calculating unit 2013, and the required time length t1 of the charging service obtained by the charging task information obtaining unit 2011. In some embodiments, said charging output power Pi can be calculated according to formula 3 below.

(31) $\begin{array}{cc}\mathrm{Pi}=\min \left(\frac{\left(\mathrm{Qi}-Q_{\mathrm{AVG}2}\right)*60}{t1},\mathrm{Pcmax},\mathrm{Pimax}\right)& \left(\mathrm{formula}3\right)\end{array}$
As mentioned above, by means of the unit 2015 for determining a maximum output power of the energy storage unit, the unit 2016 for obtaining electric quantity of a charged object, the unit 2017 for determining a maximum receiving power of a charged object, and the charging output power calculating unit 2018, the power controller 201 can determine the charging output power of each energy storage unit included in said combination of energy storage units.

(32) Next, the mobile charging method of the present invention will be described with reference to the mobile charging device 200 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

(33) FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a mobile charging method according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, said mobile charging method comprises: determining a combination of energy storage units that output electric energy during charging according to the electric quantity level Qi (i being a positive integer and 1in) of each of the plurality of energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n used for mobile charging and the quantity of electricity Qx needed for the charging (step a), and calculating a charging output power Pi (i being a positive integer and 1in) of each energy storage unit included in the combination of energy storage units (step b). Details of step a and step b will be described later.

(34) Preferably, in some embodiments, said mobile charging method may further comprise: controlling the switch array 204 arranged corresponding to the plurality of energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n by instructions CI related to the combination of energy storage units, so that the corresponding switch units included therein change to an ON state (step c).

(35) Preferably, in some embodiments, said mobile charging method may further comprises: transforming voltages output by each energy storage unit included in the combination of energy storage units according to instructions related to the charging output power Pi, so that said energy storage units can output electric energies during charging according to the calculated corresponding charging output power (step d).

(36) Moreover, it shall be noted that although FIG. 3 shows carrying out the mobile charging method in the sequence of step a, step b, step c and step d, the sequences of the steps in the mobile charging method are not limited to this, for example, step c can be performed before step b or together with step b, and step d can be performed before step c or together with step c, as long as step a is performed before steps b, c and d and step b is performed before step d.

(37) Now details of step a will be illustrated referring to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a flow chart of step a in the mobile charging method as shown in FIG. 3 according to the present invention.

(38) As shown in FIG. 4, step a includes: a step of obtaining charging task information (step a01), a step of obtaining energy storage unit electric quantity (step a02), a step of calculating an average electric quantity (step a03) and a step of determining a combination of energy storage units (step a04).

(39) In said step of obtaining charging task information (step a01), the quantity of electric quantity Qx needed for the charging and the required time length t1 of the charging service are obtained, thus knowing that in the charging to be performed, electric energies corresponding to the needed quantity of electric quantity Qx are to be supplied within the required time length t1 of the charging service.

(40) Next, in step of obtaining energy storage unit electric quantity (step a02), the electric quantity level Qi of each of the plurality of energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n used for mobile charging is obtained.

(41) Next, in the step of calculating an average electric quantity (step a03), the average quantity of electricity before performing the charging Q.sub.AVG1 for the plurality of energy storage units 202.sub.1202.sub.n is calculated based on the electric quantity level Qi of each energy storage unit, and the method for calculation can be represented by formula 4 below.

(42) $\begin{array}{cc}{Q}_{\mathrm{AVG}1}=\frac{\underset{i=1}{\overset{n}{.Math.}}\mathrm{Qi}}{n}& \left(\mathrm{formula}4\right)\end{array}$
Then in the step of calculating an average electric quantity (step a03), the average quantity of electricity after performing the charging Q.sub.AVG2 is estimated based on the needed quantity of electricity Qx and the average quantity of electricity before performing the charging Q.sub.AVG1 as calculated by the above formula 4, and the method for estimation can be represented by formula 5 below.

(43) $\begin{array}{cc}{Q}_{\mathrm{AVG}2}=\frac{Q_{\mathrm{AVG}1}*n-\mathrm{Qx}}{m1*m2*n}& \left(\mathrm{formula}5\right)\end{array}$
wherein m1 is an efficiency of converting the chemical energy of the energy storage unit into electric energy, and m2 is an efficiency of transferring and converting electric energy into chemical energy.

(44) Finally, in the step of determining a combination of energy storage units (step a04), the combination of energy storage units that output electric energy during charging is determined by means of comparing the electric quantity level Qi of each energy storage unit to the average electric quantity after performing the charging Q.sub.AVG2 as estimated through the above formula 5. In some embodiments, the combination of energy storage units can be determined by such a rule as that if an energy storage battery i has an electric quantity level Qi smaller than the estimated average electric quantity after performing the charging Q.sub.AVG2, it is determined that the energy storage battery i does not participate in the charging to be performed, otherwise, if the energy storage battery i has an electric quantity level Qi greater than the estimated average electric quantity after performing the charging Q.sub.AVG2, it is determined that the energy storage battery i participates in the charging to be performed. According to such a rule, the combination of energy storage units that output electric energy during charging can be finally determined, wherein said combination of energy storage units includes in energy storage units (mn).

(45) As mentioned above, by means of the step of obtaining charging task information (step a01), the step of obtaining energy storage unit electric quantity (step a02), the step of calculating an average electric quantity (step a03) and the step of determining a combination of energy storage units (step a04), the combination of energy storage units that output electric energy during charging can be determined.

(46) Moreover, it shall be noted that although FIG. 4 shows carrying out step a in the sequence of step a01, step a02, step a03 and step a04, the specific flow of said step a is not limited to this, for example, step a02 can be performed before step a01 or together with step a01, and so on.

(47) Now details of step b will be illustrated referring to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a flow chart of step b in the mobile charging method as shown in FIG. 3 according to the present invention.

(48) As shown in FIG. 5, step b includes: a step for determining a maximum output power of the energy storage unit (step b01), a step for obtaining electric quantity of a charged object (step b02), a step for determining a maximum receiving power of a charged object (step b03), and a charging output power calculating step (step b04).

(49) In said step for determining a maximum output power of the energy storage unit (step b01), the maximum output power Pimax of each of the plurality of energy storage battery packs 202.sub.1202.sub.n is determined based on the electric quantity level Qi of each energy storage unit. In some embodiments, the maximum output power Pimax of each energy storage unit corresponding to the electric quantity level Qi can be determined through an electric quantity-maximum output power lookup table provided by a battery manufacturer. In some other embodiments, the maximum output power Pimax of each energy storage unit corresponding to the electric quantity level Qi can be determined through a battery curve fitting function.

(50) Then, in the step for obtaining electric quantity of a charged object (step b02), the electric quantity level of the charged object is obtained, thus the current electric quantity level of the charged object is known before the new charging task is performed.

(51) Then, in the step for determining a maximum receiving power of a charged object (step b03), the maximum receiving power of the charged object is determined based on the electric quantity level thereof. In some embodiments, said maximum receiving power Pcmax can be obtained through looking up a table. In some other embodiments, said maximum receiving power Pcmax can be obtained through a curve fitting function of the charged object.

(52) Finally, in the charging output power calculating step (step b04), the charging output power Pi of each energy storage unit included in the combination of energy storage units (i.e. in energy storage units) is calculated based on the electric quantity level Qi of each energy storage unit included in the combination of energy storage units (i.e. in energy storage units) and the corresponding maximum output power Pimax, the maximum receiving power Pcmax of the charged object, the average quantity of electricity after performing the charging Q.sub.AVG2, and the required time length t1 of the charging service obtained by the above step a01. In some embodiments, said charging output power Pi can be calculated according to formula 6 below.

(53) $\begin{array}{cc}\mathrm{Pi}=\min \left(\frac{\left(\mathrm{Qi}-Q_{\mathrm{AVG}2}\right)*60}{t1},\mathrm{Pcmax},\mathrm{Pimax}\right)& \left(\mathrm{formula}6\right)\end{array}$
As mentioned above, by means of the step for determining a maximum output power of the energy storage unit (step b01), the step for obtaining electric quantity of a charged object (step b02), the step for determining a maximum receiving power of a charged object (step b03), and the charging output power calculating step (step b04), the charging output power of each energy storage unit included in said combination of energy storage units can be determined.

(54) Further, it shall be noted that although FIG. 5 shows carrying out step b in the sequence of step b01, step b02, step b03 and step b04, the specific flow of said step b is not limited to this, for example, step b01 can be performed after steps b02 and b03 or together with steps b02 and b03, and so on.

(55) The above examples mainly illustrate the mobile charging device, mobile charging system and mobile charging method of the present invention. Although only some of the specific embodiments of the present invention are described, those skilled in the art shall understand that the present invention can be implemented in various other ways without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Therefore, the exhibited examples and embodiments are schematic rather than restrictive, and the present invention might cover various modifications and replacements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.