Vehicle mounted with an electric storage device, and electric apparatus for supplying and receiving electric power to and from the vehicle

A charger can read an ID code from a transponder key of an immobilizer system of a contract vehicle. When an owner of the vehicle connects a vehicle and charger with a charging cable and brings the transponder key close to a reading portion, the read ID code is transmitted from charger toward vehicle where authentication is performed. Vehicle transmits an authentication result to charger. Preferably, these transmission and reception can be performed by power line communication employing a vehicle cable.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a vehicle and an electric apparatus and more specifically to a vehicle mounted with an electric storage device and an electric apparatus for supplying and receiving electric power to and from the vehicle.

BACKGROUND ART

In recent years, as an environmentally-friendly vehicle, an electric car, a hybrid car, a fuel-cell vehicle, and the like mounted with an electric storage device and a motor as a drive device are receiving attention. A hybrid car that can be charged from outside is also considered.

There is a charger, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-262303, wherein a key of an electric car is in a form of an IC card and the IC card is inserted into the charger to thereby enable battery charging in a vehicle sharing system.

However, in a case of an individually-owned vehicle, the IC card identifying a user of the charger and the key of the vehicle are not necessarily sharable. Moreover, the charger may be shared among a plurality of vehicles in a parking lot of an apartment house. In such a case, it is necessary to reliably identify a vehicle as a vehicle permitted to be charged at the time of charging.

Furthermore, it is preferable to ensure that the vehicle does not start traveling by mistake in starting charging of the vehicle.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a vehicle and an electric apparatus that prevent supply and reception of electric power to and from cars other than a target car.

In summary, the invention is a vehicle including: an electric storage device; an electric power converter for supplying and receiving electric power to and from the electric storage device; a connecting portion for connecting an electric apparatus outside the car and the electric power converter; and an electronic control device for reading key information stored in a vehicle key and permitting starting of the vehicle when the key information matches with registration information registered in advance in the vehicle. The electronic control device includes a controller for controlling the electric power converter so that the converter receives the key information from the electric apparatus and supplies and receives the electric power to and from the electric storage device when the key information matches with the registration information.

It is preferable that the vehicle further includes a transmitting portion for transmitting an authentication result to the electric power device when the key information matches with the registration information.

It is preferable that the electronic control device receives the key information via a route different from a power distribution route for supplying and receiving the electric power between the electric apparatus and the electric power converter and prohibits supply or reception of the electric power to and from the electric storage device when the key information matches with the registration information.

It is preferable that the electronic control device receives the key information via a power distribution route for supplying and receiving the electric power between the electric apparatus and the electric power converter and prohibits starting of the vehicle when the key information matches with the registration information.

It is preferable that the registration information is information specific to each vehicle and the electronic control device returns to the electric apparatus permission information indicating that the vehicle is a car permitted to use the electric apparatus when the key information matches with the registration information.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an electric apparatus for supplying and receiving electric power to and from an electric storage device mounted to a vehicle including an electronic control device for reading key information stored in a vehicle key and permitting starting of the vehicle when the key information matches with registration information registered in advance in the vehicle. The electric apparatus includes a reading portion for reading the key information from the vehicle key and an electric power supplying and receiving portion for supplying or receiving the electric power to and from the electric storage device according to the key information read by the reading portion.

It is preferable that the electric apparatus further includes a transmitting portion for transmitting the key information to the vehicle when the reading portion reads the key information and a receiving portion for receiving a signal indicating whether or not the key information matches with the registration information stored in advance in the vehicle from the electronic control device.

More preferably, the electric apparatus further includes a control portion for permitting supply or reception of the electric power to or from the electric storage device when the receiving portion receives the signal indicating that the key information matches with the registration information.

More preferably, the electric apparatus further includes a control portion for storing permission information issued to a car permitted to use the electric apparatus and determining whether or not the information transmitted from the electronic control device matches with the permission information when the key information matches with the registration information registered in advance in the vehicle. The control portion permits supply or reception of the electric power to or from the electric storage device when the information transmitted from the electronic control device matches with the permission information.

More preferably, the electric apparatus further includes a storage device for storing vehicle owner information. The signal includes the vehicle owner information. The control portion permits supply or reception of the electric power to and from the electric storage device when the vehicle owner information stored in the storage device matches with the vehicle owner information included in the signal.

Preferably, the electric apparatus further includes a power line cable for supplying or receiving the electric power to and from the electric storage device. The transmitting portion and the receiving portion transmits and receives the signal to and from the vehicle through the power line cable.

With the invention, supply and reception of the electric power to and from cars other than the target car are prevented and the vehicle can be kept at rest in starting supply and reception of the electric power.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention will be described specifically below with reference to the drawings. The same or corresponding portions in the drawings will be provided with the same reference numerals and they will not be described repeatedly.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1is a drawing for describing a concept of the first embodiment of the invention.

With reference toFIG. 1, a charger200is a device installed in a parking lot of an apartment house or a long-term parking lot and can be used for a plurality of registered vehicles. Although the plurality of vehicles are parking in the parking lot of the apartment house and the long-term parking lot, owners of the cars are contractors and can be identified. Charger200is shared among the plurality of vehicles. Charger200supplies electric power to charge an electric storage device of a vehicle100such as an electric car or a hybrid car that can be charged from outside.

Vehicle100is mounted with an immobilizer system. The immobilizer system recognizes a transponder key including a transponder with an ID code written to it and permits starting of a starter of the vehicle such as an engine starter.

Charger200can read the ID code from the transponder key of the immobilizer system. If the owner of the car connects vehicle100and charger200with a charging cable and brings the transponder key close to a reading portion, charger200transmits the read ID code to vehicle100and authentication is performed in vehicle100. Vehicle100transmits an authentication result to charger200. Those transmission and reception are preferably carried out by power line communication using a vehicle cable.

Charger200permits the power cable to start supply of charging electric power when the authentication result is normal. A recognition distance of the transponder key is normally as short as a distance shorter than 1 m. Therefore, the key is distant from a transponder key recognizing portion provided to the vehicle and vehicle cannot be started when the driver causes the charger to start power distribution. In this way, it is possible to prevent the vehicle from moving unexpectedly during charging operation.

It is also possible that charging is permitted after completion of authentication and that a driver operates a charging start switch of the charger into an ON state in the charging permitted state to thereby start charging. Alternatively, charging may be started in response to the “completion of authentication”.

In this way, it is possible to force the driver to perform the charging operation in a state where the vehicle key for starting the vehicle is detached from the vehicle, i.e., a state where the vehicle cannot move. In a case where there are two vehicle keys including a spare key and one of the vehicle keys has already been inserted into the vehicle and authenticated, the other key is not authenticated even if it is inserted into the charger. Moreover, in such a case, the charger may deliver a message (character display or voice) reminding that the key inserted into the vehicle should be detached.

FIG. 2is a block diagram more specifically showing the structures of the vehicle and the charger.

With reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, vehicle100includes wheels108, a motor106for driving wheels108, an inverter104for providing three-phase AC electric power to motor106, a main battery102for supplying DC electric power to inverter104, and a main control ECU114for controlling inverter104. Although vehicle100is an electric car, the invention can be also applied to a hybrid car or the like using a motor and an engine for driving.

Vehicle100includes a keyhole ring antenna132, an immobilizer ECU129, and a nonvolatile memory130. Keyhole ring antenna132provided around a keyhole into which transponder key128is inserted can read the ID code of transponder key128by electromagnetic coupling without contact. Immobilizer ECU129reads the ID code stored in transponder key128owned by the owner of the vehicle as key information and permits main control ECU114to start the vehicle when the key information matches with registration information registered in advance in nonvolatile memory130.

Vehicle100is formed so that main battery102can be charged from outside. In other words, vehicle100further includes a connector124provided with a terminal to which a commercial power such as AC 100 V is given from outside, a charging AC/DC converting portion110for converting the AC electric power given to connector124into DC electric power and giving it to main battery102, a switch122for connecting connector124and charging AC/DC converting portion110, a connector connection detecting portion120for detecting that a connector206of charger200is connected to connector124, and a power line communication portion116.

As another system structure of the vehicle that can be charged, motor driving inverter104may be used as a charging inverter. For example, a generator and a generator inverter may be further mounted so that electric power is supplied and received to and from a neutral point of stator coils of motor106and a neutral point of stator coils of the generator from and to the outside.

Main control ECU114monitors a state of charge (SOC) of main battery102and connector connection detecting portion120detects the connector connection. Main control ECU114brings switch122from an open state into a connecting state and causes charging AC/DC converting portion110to operate to charge main battery102if state of charge SOC is lower than a predetermined value when connector206is connected to connector124.

Charger200includes: a power line communication portion210for receiving information such as state of charge SOC and a power feeding request from vehicle100; a ring antenna214; an immobilizer ID reading portion212for reading the ID code from transponder key128via ring antenna214, transponder key128being the vehicle key of a user of charger200and connected to ring antenna214; an AC power supply202; a charging cable218; connector206provided to an end portion of charging cable218; a switch204for connecting AC power supply202to charging cable218; and a main control ECU208for controlling opening and closing of switch204.

Main control ECU208transmits the ID code to vehicle100via power line communication portion210when it receives the ID code from immobilizer ID reading portion212. In vehicle100, power line communication portion116receives the ID and an inquiry about authenticity of the ID is made to immobilizer ECU129via main control ECU114. The immobilizer system is an antitheft system and the ID code is not stored in charger200for security reason. In the first embodiment, authentication is entrusted to vehicle100.

Main control ECU114requests power feeding from charger200via power line communication portion116to charge main battery102when the ID is authentic. Alternatively, main control ECU114may inform charger200of state of charge SOC via power line communication portion116and charger200may decide to permit starting of power feeding based on state of charge SOC.

When main control ECU114receives a notification that the ID is authentic from the immobilizer ECU and when the ID is transmitted to main control ECU114from ring antenna214close to a keyhole, main control ECU114starts devices such as inverter104and motor106for causing the vehicle to travel. However, when the ID is transmitted via a route other than that, starting of the devices is prohibited. Main control ECU114also prohibits starting of the devices for causing the vehicle to travel when connector connection detecting portion120detects that charging cable218is connected. For example, as connector connection detecting portion120, a sensor for detecting connection of the connector may be provided to a charging port of the vehicle. A magnet may be embedded in a part of connector206and a magnet sensor may detect proximity of the magnet. A switch that is pushed down by contact may be provided to connector124as a sensor. In this way, it is possible to prevent the vehicle to travel by mistake during charging or before the charging cable is detached from the vehicle.

Preferably, information based on which a person can be identified as a user of charger200may be recorded in nonvolatile memory130and the information may be transmitted to charger200via power line communication portion116in requesting to start power feeding. For example, if the ID code of the immobilizer system is ID1and when ID1is transmitted from charger200to vehicle100, vehicle100returns a different ID2to charger200. ID2is an ID code granted by a person who runs charger200to vehicle100and ID2can be recorded in nonvolatile memory130of vehicle100. ID2may be stored in a storage device different from that for ID code of the immobilizer system and main control ECU114may read it out and transmit it to charger200. In response, in charger200, main control ECU208checks ID2that is user identifying information received by power line communication portion210against information registered in memory in main control ECU208and opens or closes switch204according to information such as state of charge SOC and the request for power feeding if there is no problem with a check result. By using ID2, it is possible to integrate billing information for each user according to power feeding time and electric energy. If the memory in main control ECU208is rewritable, it is easy to address change of the contractor.

More preferably, charger200may include a credit cart reading portion. The credit card reading portion may read card information and a credit card company may get charged based on the credit card information when the vehicle returns ID2.

If ID2is stored in advance in the charger and charging is permitted when ID2is authenticated, it is possible to control the charger to charge only the predetermined vehicles without retaining ID1of the immobilizer in the charger. In other words, there is an advantage that ID1as highly confidential information need not be retained in the highly public charger. For example, this can be applied to a charger that is installed at an apartment house and can be used only by residents of the apartment house.

When vehicle100requests power feeding from charger200, main control ECU208closes switch204to start power feeding and main control ECU114causes charging AC/DC converting portion110to operate to charge main battery102.

When charging is completed, state of charge SOC of main battery102becomes higher than the predetermined value. In response, main control ECU114stops charging AC/DC converting portion110and brings switch122from the closed state into the open state. Then, stop of power feeding is requested of charger200via power line communication portion116. As a result, main control ECU208brings switch204from the closed state into the open state.

In other words, charger200includes ring antenna214and immobilizer ID reading portion212forming a reading portion for reading the key information from transponder key128and switch204for starting supply of electric power to the vehicle according to an output of the reading portion. Preferably, the reading portion can read the key information when the key is at a predetermined or shorter reading distance (e.g., 20 cm or shorter) from the reading portion. The reading distance is such a distance that the key is at a predetermined or longer distance (e.g., 20 cm or longer) from keyhole ring antenna132of the vehicle and starting of the vehicle is not permitted. This condition is satisfied by adjusting sensitivity and output of keyhole ring antenna132so that starting of the vehicle is not permitted when the key is taken out of the vehicle and by adjusting sensitivity and output of ring antenna214so that the ring antenna214does not read the ID code when the key is in the vehicle interior.

The reading portion reads the key information from transponder key128, communicates with immobilizer ECU129in the vehicle, and causes immobilizer ECU129to determine whether or not the key information is key information specific to the vehicle.

More preferably, main control ECU114returns to charger200permission information (ID2) indicating that vehicle100is permitted to use charger200when the key information is key information specific to the vehicle. Main control ECU208of charger200commands an electric power supply portion to start supply of electric power in response to the permission information.

FIG. 3shows flow charts of processing structures of control programs executed by the vehicle and the charger during charging.

With reference toFIGS. 2 and 3, when the processing starts, in the vehicle, main control ECU114monitors output of connector connection detecting portion120and determines whether or not connector206is connected to connector124in step S1. Connector connection detecting portion120may be a switch that is brought into conduction when its protrusion is pushed down due to connection of the connector or may be a proximity sensor.

If the charging connector is not connected in step S1, the processing ends in step S11. If the charging connector is connected, on the other hand, the processing goes from step S1to step S2.

In step S2, main control ECU114determines whether or not transponder key128of the immobilizer system is attached into the keyhole of the vehicle based on presence or absence of traveling permission from immobilizer ECU129.

If transponder key128is attached into the keyhole of the vehicle in step S2, the processing goes to step S11to end. On the other hand, if transponder key128is not attached into the keyhole of the vehicle, the processing goes to step S3.

In step S3, main control ECU114stops traveling inverter104to prevent the vehicle from traveling. At this time, wheels108may be mechanically locked by forcibly shifting a shift lever to a parking position or the like, for example.

Then, in step S4, main control ECU114receives the ID code of transponder key128sent from charger200via charging cable218and power line communication portion116and transmits the ID code to immobilizer ECU129to check the ID in step S5. The immobilizer system is the antitheft system, the ID code is preferably not stored in charger200for security reason, and vehicle100carries out authentication in the first embodiment.

Next, in step S6, main control ECU114obtains the check result of the ID code from immobilizer ECU129and returns the result to charger200via power line communication portion116. If the ID is authentic and main battery102should be charged, main control ECU114requests power feeding from charger200via power line communication portion116. Alternatively, main control ECU114may inform charger200of state of charge SOC via power line communication portion116and charger200may decide to start power feeding based on state of charge SOC. If the ID code does not match with that specific to vehicle100, on the other hand, main control ECU114commands not to request power feeding from charger200.

Preferably, information based on which a person can be identified as a user of charger200may be recorded in nonvolatile memory130and the information may be transmitted to charger200via power line communication portion116in requesting to start power feeding. For example, if the ID code of the immobilizer system is ID1and when ID1is transmitted from charger200to vehicle100, vehicle100returns a different ID2to charger200. ID2is the ID code granted by the person who runs charger200to vehicle100and ID2can be recorded in nonvolatile memory130of vehicle100. ID2may be stored in the storage device different from that for ID code of the immobilizer system and main control ECU114may read it out and transmit it to charger200.

In step S7, main control ECU114selects a branch of the processing based on the check result of the ID code.

If the ID code does not match with that specific to vehicle100as a result of the check of the ID code, the processing ends in step S11. On the other hand, if the ID code matches with that specific to vehicle100, the processing goes to step S8.

In step S8, main control ECU114controls switch122to bring it into the closed state and causes charging AC/DC converting portion110to operate to convert the AC electric power given from outside into DC electric power to charge main battery102.

During charging, main control ECU114determines whether or not the state of charge of main battery102is smaller than a predetermined threshold value SOC1in step S9. If state of charge SOC is smaller than threshold value SOC1, determination that charging is required is made and the processing goes to step S8to continue charging.

If state of charge SOC is greater than or equal to predetermined threshold value SOC in step S9, the processing goes to step S10. In step S10, main control ECU114stops charging AC/DC converting portion110and brings switch122into the open state to stop charging and the processing goes to step S11to end. Preferably, main control ECU114may request stop of power feeding from charger200via power line communication portion116in step S10.

Next, processing performed in charger200will be described. With reference toFIGS. 1 and 3, if the processing starts, whether or not charging connector206is connected to connector124of the vehicle is determined in step S21. At this time, result of recognition by connector connection detecting portion120in vehicle100may be obtained and determined by main control ECU208via power line communication portion210. Alternatively, connector206may be provided with a connection detecting means for detecting connection such as a switch that is brought into conduction when its protrusion is pushed down and main control ECU208may make determination that the connector is connected by using the means.

If the charging connector is not connected, the processing ends in step S29. If determination that the charging connector is connected is made, the processing goes to step S22.

Main control ECU208receives the ID code of transponder key128from immobilizer ID reading portion212in step S22and then transmits the ID code to vehicle100via power line communication portion210in step S23to wait the check result from vehicle100.

In step S24, main control ECU208receives the check result of the ID code checked in vehicle100via power line communication portion210. Main control ECU114in the vehicle requests power feeding from charger200via power line communication portion116if the ID is authentic and main battery102should be charged. Alternatively, main control ECU114informs charger200of state of charge SOC via power line communication portion116. Charger200determines to start power feeding in step S25based on the transmitted request for power feeding or state of charge SOC.

Preferably, vehicle100may return to charger200ID2that is the user identifying information and main control ECU208may check ID2against the information received by power line communication portion210and registered in the inside memory and carry out power feeding if there is no problem with the check result.

If there is a problem with the check result of the ID in step S25, the processing ends in step S29. On the other hand, it there is no problem with the ID check result, the processing goes to step S26where power feeding to vehicle100is carried out. In step S26, main control ECU208closes switch204to connect power supply202and charging cable218to carry out power feeding to vehicle100.

Following step S26, if there is a command to stop power feeding is checked periodically in step S27. The command to stop power feeding may be issued by operating a switch provided on a control panel of the charger or may be issued by vehicle100by means of power line communication when charging is completed.

If there is no command to stop power feeding in step S27, the processing returns to step S26to continue power feeding to vehicle100. On the other hand, if there is the command to stop power feeding in step S27, switch204is controlled into the open state to stop power feeding to vehicle100in step S28and the processing ends in step S29.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to avoid unexpectedly coming in contact with the live plug. It is also possible to avoid unexpected movement of the vehicle when charging starts. Furthermore, there is a security advantage, because the ID code of the immobilizer is not stored in the charger.

Second Embodiment

In the first embodiment, by communication of the ID code of the immobilizer between the vehicle and the charger, the ID code read by the charger is checked against vehicle100. However, the communication of the ID code and the check in vehicle100are not necessarily required.

FIG. 4is a drawing showing a variation of the charger and the vehicle shown inFIG. 1.

With reference toFIG. 4, in this variation, in addition to the structure of charger200described in the first embodiment, a charger200A further includes an ID database in which an ID code of an immobilizer system of a vehicle permitted to use the charger is registered.

When a control ECU of charger200A reads the ID code from a transponder key, it checks the ID code against the ID database. If the ID code is one of the registrant, supply of the electric power is started. In this case, the ID code is not checked in a vehicle100A.

If charger200A holds the ID code and billing information in correspondence with each other, it is possible to individually bill the users.

FIG. 5is a drawing showing a variation ofFIG. 4.

InFIG. 5, a charger200B makes an inquiry about a match of an ID of a transponder key and an ID of a registered user with each other to an ID database provided outside by means of communication.

Charger200B is normally installed in a place such as a parking lot accessed by the general public. Therefore, by disposing the ID database in a different place where it can be controlled strictly, it is possible to decrease a possibility of a leak of the ID code of the immobilizer system.

As described above, in the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent an operator from unexpectedly coming in contact with the live plug at the tip end of the charging cable in attaching the power cable to the vehicle. Moreover, it is possible to prevent unexpected movement of the vehicle during charging operation.

Although use of the transponder key formed by integrating a key to be inserted into the keyhole with a transponder has been described in the present embodiment, the key to be inserted into the keyhole and the transponder are not necessarily integrated with each other. For example, the transponder may be mounted to a key ring or a pendant.

InFIG. 2in the present embodiment, the electric car having the motor for driving the wheels is shown as an example of the car that can be charged. However, the invention can be also applied to a series/parallel-type hybrid car in which a power split device splits power of an engine between axles and a generator and a series-type hybrid car in which an engine is used only for driving a generator and only a motor using electric power generated by the generator generates driving force for axles. A battery of each of the structures may be charged from outside and the invention can be applied to them.

Furthermore, if the vehicle can supply electric power to the outside, it is possible to apply the invention of the present application to a case of supplying the electric power to an electric device including electric load outside the vehicle instead of power supply202inFIG. 2. In this case, DC electric power of main battery102is converted into AC electric power by AC/DC converting portion110and supplied to the outside. Especially, a hybrid car mounted with a generator driven by an engine in addition to main battery102can be used as an emergency power supply in a time of disaster.

In addition to supply of the AC electric power to the outside of the car and being charged by receiving the AC electric power as described above, supply of DC electric power to the outside of the car and being charged by receiving the DC electric power are also conceivable. In this case, a DC/DC converting portion for boosting or stepping down DC voltage may be mounted to the vehicle instead of AC/DC converting portion110inFIG. 2and a DC power supply or a DC load may be mounted to the electric device outside the vehicle instead of AC power supply202.

The embodiments disclosed this time are examples in all points and should not be considered restrictive. The scope of the invention is not defined in the above description but is defined in claims and includes meanings equivalent to the claims and all modifications in the scope of claims.