Charger and charging method for charging the battery of an electric motorcycle by using charging stations for cars

A charger includes a first connection port, a second connection port, a DC-DC converter, a first microcontroller, and a second microcontroller. The DC-DC converter is configured to convert a first DC voltage into a second DC current/voltage according to a regulation signal, and output the second DC current/voltage through the second connection port. The second DC voltage is lower than the first DC voltage. The first microcontroller is configured to communicate with a DC charging station by handshake via the first connection port. When the handshake between the first microcontroller and the DC charging station succeeds, the first microcontroller generates a regulation indication according to a result of the handshake between the first microcontroller and a battery, the second microcontroller generates the regulation signal according to the regulation indication, and the first DC voltage is supplied by the DC charging station.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application claims priority of China Patent Application No. 201910589181.9, filed on Jul. 2, 2019, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a charging technology, and more particularly to a charger and a charging method that can charge the battery of an electric motorcycle by using charging stations for cars that have been installed in various locations.

Description of the Related Art

With the rising awareness of the need to reduce air pollution, conserve energy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the importance of developing and utilizing green energy has gradually gained the attention of the public and become a key project for countries to actively invest in and develop. As a result, in recent years, electric vehicles that use built-in batteries as driving sources have become more and more popular because they do not emit exhaust gases, which results in a yearly increase in the use of electric vehicles.

Power can be restored to the battery of an electric vehicle by using a charging station to charge the battery directly or by replacing the battery with a new one. Electric vehicles commonly include electric cars and electric motorcycles. Moreover, depending on differences in specifications and charging voltage, dedicated charging plugs may be designed specifically to fit different kinds of electric vehicles, and charging stations can be further subdivided into charging stations for cars and charging stations for motorcycles.

In general, the configuration ratio of charging stations for motorcycles is usually pretty low in countries where electric cars are more popular, and it is really a pity that electric motorcycles cannot be charged at charging stations designed for cars whose configuration ratio is higher.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an embodiment, a charger comprises a first connection port, a second connection port, a DC-DC converter, a first microcontroller and a second microcontroller. The first connection port is configured to connect a DC charging station. The second connection port is configured to connect a battery. The DC-DC converter is coupled between the first connection port and a second connection port. The DC-DC converter is configured to convert a first DC voltage into a second DC current/voltage according to a regulation signal, and to output the second DC current/voltage through the second connection port. The second DC voltage is lower than the first DC voltage. The first microcontroller is configured to communicate with the DC charging station by handshake via the first connection port, and the first microcontroller is also configured to communicate with the battery by handshake via the second connection port. When the handshake between the first microcontroller and the DC charging station succeeds, the first microcontroller generates a regulation indication according to a handshake result between the first microcontroller and the battery, and the first DC voltage is supplied by the DC charging station. The second microcontroller is configured to generate the regulation signal according to the regulation indication.

In an embodiment, a charging method adapted to a charger comprises: using a first microcontroller of the charger to communicate with a DC charging station by handshake via a first connection port of the charger; using the first microcontroller of the charger to communicate with a battery by handshake via a second connection port of the charger; when the handshake between the first microcontroller and the DC charging station succeeds, using the first microcontroller to generate a regulation indication according to a handshake result between the first microcontroller and the battery; using a second microcontroller of the charger to generate a regulation signal according to the regulation indication; and using a DC-DC converter of the charger to convert a first DC voltage into a second DC current/voltage according to the regulation signal, and output the second DC current/voltage through a second connection port of the charger so as to charge the battery, wherein the first DC voltage is supplied by the DC charging station when the handshake between the first microcontroller and the DC charging station succeeds, and the second DC voltage is lower than the first DC voltage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to make the above objects, features and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention easier to understand, a detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Use of ordinal terms such as “first”, “second” “third”, etc., to modify an element does not by itself connote any priority or precedence, but are used merely as labels to distinguish the elements that have the same name.

FIG. 1is a block diagram illustrating a charging system according to a first embodiment of charger. Please refer toFIG. 1, charger100can be used as a charging bridge between a battery200and a DC (direct current) charging station300. Herein, the battery200is a secondary battery that is rechargeable, and it refers in particular to a secondary battery that can be mounted on an electric motorcycle to serve as a driving source. Furthermore, the DC charging station refers specifically to a DC charging station for charging electric cars.

In some embodiments, the battery200can be provided with a battery management system (BMS)210. Herein, the battery management system210can generally be used to monitor the charge state of the battery200and to manage the operating state of the battery200. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the battery200may not be provided with the battery management system210.

In some implementations, the battery200can be a Lithium-ion battery, a Nickel-Hydrogen battery, a Lead-acid battery, a Lead-crystal battery, a Zinc-air battery or any other suitable battery.

The charger100can include at least two connection ports (hereinafter referred to as first connection port111and second connection port112, respectively), a DC-DC converter120and at least two microcontrollers (hereinafter referred to as first microcontroller130and second microcontroller140, respectively). The DC-DC converter is coupled to the first connection port111, the second connection port112and the second microcontroller140, and the first microcontroller130is coupled to the first connection port111, the second connection port112and the second microcontroller140.

The first connection port111is configured to connect the DC charging station300. In some embodiments, the DC charging station300includes a charging gun, and the charging connection port of the charging gun and the first connection port111of the charger100are compatible with each other, so the charger100may connect to the DC charging station300. In other words, the charging connection port of the charging gun and the first connection port111of the charger100can respectively be the connectors match to a communication interface which is adopted by a certain charging standard. For example, the charging connection port of the charging gun and the first connection port111of the charger100may respectively be a male connector and a female connector that are match to the Controller Area Network (CAN) communication interface adopted by the CHAdeMO charging standard. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The charging standard can be SAE, IEC CCS, etc., or any other suitable charging standard.

The second connection port112is configured to connect the battery200. Herein, the second connection port112can be connected to the battery200through a dedicated connection line. In some embodiments, a communication interface adopted by the second connection port112may be a Controller Area Network (CAN) communication interface, an Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) communication interface, a Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART) communication interface, a System Management Bus (SMBus) communication interface, or any other suitable communication interface. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the second connection port112can be a general connection terminal without a communication interface. For example, when the battery200does not have a battery management system210, the second connection port can be provided without a communication interface.

The DC-DC converter120has an input terminal and an output terminal. The DC-DC converter can convert a first DC voltage DC1received through its input terminal into a second DC current/voltage DC2according to a regulation signal S1, then output the second DC current/voltage DC2through its output terminal. Herein, since the first DC voltage DC1output by the DC charging station300was originally suitable for charging electric cars, the first DC voltage DC1is usually much higher than the second DC voltage DC2required to charge the battery200. Therefore, the DC-DC converter120is typically used as a step-down DC/DC converter to convert a first DC voltage DC1whose voltage is higher into a second DC current/voltage whose voltage is lower. The magnitude of the current value or the voltage value of the second DC current/voltage DC2converted by the DC-DC converter120can be determined based on the regulation signal S1.

In some implementations, the voltage value of first DC voltage DC1may substantially be within a range of 200 volts (V) to 500 volts, and the voltage value of second DC voltage DC2may substantially be 50 volts. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The voltage value of the first DC voltage DC1can be determined based on the voltage value that can be output by the DC charging station300. The voltage value of the second DC voltage DC2can be determined based on the charging voltage required for the battery200.

The first microcontroller130is mainly configured to handle operations such as communications, management and instructions release. Herein, the first microcontroller130is connected between the first connection port111and the second connection port112, so a communication channel does not directly form between the first connection port111and the second connection port112. In this way, the DC charging station300connected to the first connection port111cannot view information about the battery200, and the DC charging station300may assume that its power is being supplied to an electric car, from beginning to end. Similarly, the battery200connected to the second connection port112cannot view information about the DC charging station300, so the battery200will not find out that it is actually being charged by a charging station for electric cars. Therefore, after the first microcontroller130is set to block communication between the battery200and the DC charging station300, potential problems that could occur between the battery200and the DC charging station300due to different communication standards can be avoided (e.g., the communication speeds of both do not match, the communication standards of both do not match, etc.), and it allows the battery200to be charged at a DC charging station for electric cars.

In an embodiment, the first microcontroller130may include a first control unit131and at least two communication units (hereinafter referred to as the first communication unit132and the second communication unit133, respectively). The first control unit131is coupled between the first communication unit132and the second communication unit133. The first communication unit132is coupled to the first connection port111. Moreover, the second communication unit133is coupled to the second microcontroller140. Herein, the first control unit131can communicate with the DC charging station300through the first connection port111by using the first communication unit132, and it can communicate with the second microcontroller140by using the second communication unit133.

In another embodiment, the first microcontroller130may further include a third communication unit134, and the third communication unit134is coupled to the first control unit131and the second connection port112. At this time, the first microcontroller130can further communicate with the battery200which is provided with the battery management system210via the second connection port112. In some embodiments, the communication standard adopted by the first communication unit132can correspond to the communication interface adopted by the first connection port111. The communication standard adopted by the second communication unit133can correspond to the communication standard adopted by the second microcontroller140, for example, a Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter communication standard, a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) communication standard, a Controller Area Network communication interface, an Inter-Integrated Circuit communication interface, a Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter communication interface, a System Management Bus communication interface, or any other suitable communication interface or communication standard. But the present invention is not limited thereto.

Furthermore, the communication standard adopted by the third communication unit134can correspond to the communication interface adopted by the second connection port112.

The second microcontroller140is mainly configured to perform corresponding regulation on the DC-DC converter120according to the indication issued by the first microcontroller130. In an embodiment, the second microcontroller140may include a second control unit141, a current/voltage regulation unit142and a fourth communication unit143. The second control unit141is coupled to the current/voltage regulation unit142and the fourth communication unit143. The current/voltage regulation unit142is coupled to the DC-DC converter120. Moreover, the fourth communication unit143is coupled to the second communication unit133of the first microcontroller130. Herein, the second control unit141can communicate with the first microcontroller130by using the fourth communication unit143, and regulate the DC-DC converter120by using the current/voltage regulation unit142.

In this disclosure, thanks to the configuration of two microcontrollers (i.e., first microcontroller130and second microcontroller140), the charger100allows the actions of the communications (i.e., communications with the DC charging station300and/or communications with the battery200) and the step down operation (i.e., regulation on the DC-DC converter120) to be processed separately by individual microcontrollers, thereby reducing the workload of each microcontroller and increasing work efficiency. Furthermore, communication will be more concise and clean, and confusion may be avoided by isolating the different functions of the communications.

FIG. 2is a flowchart of a first embodiment of charging method. Please refer toFIG. 1andFIG. 2, the charger100can charge the battery200according to the first embodiment of the charging method.

In the first embodiment of the charging method, the charger100can use the first microcontroller130to communicate with the DC charging station300by handshake via the first connection port111(step S10), and use the first microcontroller130to communicate with the battery200by handshake via the second connection port112(step S30). Herein, the charger100can first perform step S10, and determine whether to continue step S30according to a handshake result in step S10, as shown inFIG. 2. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The charger100can also first perform step S30, and then perform step S10. Furthermore, in other embodiments, the charger100can further perform step S10and step S30in synchronization. Hereinafter, the description will be explained by an example that first executes step S10and determines whether to continue step S30based on the handshake result in step S10.

In an embodiment of step10, the first microcontroller130may periodically transmit a handshake request signal to the first connection port111to attempt to perform a handshake, and it may determine whether the handshake has succeeded or not by confirming whether a handshake response signal has been received through the first connection port111. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, the first microcontroller130may wait to receive a handshake request signal transmitted by the DC charging station300via the first connection port111, and then try to initiate a handshake with the DC charging station300by returning a handshake response signal.

Herein, when the handshake between the first microcontroller130and the DC charging station300fails, the charger100returns to step S10or can enter into a sleep mode to wait for wake-up. When the handshake between the first microcontroller130and the DC charging station300succeeds, the charger100continues to perform step S30.

In an embodiment of step S30, the first microcontroller130can transmit a handshake request signal to the battery200to attempt to perform handshake, and obtain a handshake result between the first microcontroller130and the battery200by confirming whether a handshake response signal is received through the second connection port112. When the first microcontroller130can receive the handshake response signal through the second connection port112, the handshake result shows that the handshake between the first microcontroller130and the battery200is a success. Conversely, when the first microcontroller130does not receive a handshake response signal through the second connection port112, the handshake result shows that the handshake between the first microcontroller130and the battery200has failed.

Herein, only after the handshake between the first microcontroller130and the DC charging station300succeeds and the first microcontroller130conducts a handshake with the battery200, the DC charging station300will permit the output of the first DC voltage DC1to the first connection port111of the charger100.

When the handshake between the first microcontroller130and the DC charging station300succeeds and the first microcontroller130conducts a handshake with the battery200, the charger100can utilize the first microcontroller130to generate a regulation indication I1for use by the second microcontroller140according to the handshake result between the first microcontroller130and the battery200(step S50), so that the second microcontroller140can generate a regulation signal S1to the DC-DC converter120according to the regulation indication I1(step S70). After that, the charger100can utilize the DC-DC converter120to convert the first DC voltage DC1input through the first connection port111to the second DC current/voltage DC2according to the regulation signal S1, and output the second DC current/voltage DC2to the battery200connected to the second connection port112(step S90), so as to charge the battery200. The second DC voltage DC2is lower than the first DC voltage DC1.

In an embodiment of step S50, when the handshake result between the first microcontroller130and the battery200shows that the handshake was successful, it means that the battery200has a battery management system210. This time, the first microcontroller130can be controlled by the battery management system210of the battery200, and generate the regulation indication I1according to a charging indication I2transmitted by the battery management system210through the second connection port112(step S51). The content of the charging indication I2may include the values of a charging current and a charging voltage required by the battery200. However, when the handshake result between the first microcontroller130and the battery200shows that the handshake has failed, this means that the battery200does not have a battery management system211). This time, the first microcontroller130can choose to generate the regulation indication I1according to a predetermined charging indication which has been pre-written in the first microcontroller130. Alternatively, the first microcontroller130can obtain a measurement of the battery200by measuring via the second connection port112, and then generate the regulation indication I1according to the obtained measurement result (step S52).

In an embodiment of step S70, the second microcontroller140can utilize the current/voltage regulation unit142to generate the regulation signal S1. Herein, the regulation signal S1may be a pulse signal or a frequency modulation signal.

FIG. 3is a block diagram illustrating a charging system according to a second embodiment of charger. Please refer toFIG. 3, in addition to being a charging bridge between the DC charging station300and battery200, the charger100can also be a charging bridge between an AC (Alternating Current) power source400and battery200.

In a second embodiment, the charger100can further include a third connection port113and an AC-DC converter150. The third connection port113is coupled to the AC-DC converter150and the second microcontroller140, and the AC-DC converter150is coupled to the input terminal of the DC-DC converter and the second microcontroller140.

The third connection port113is configured to connect the AC power source400. In some embodiments, the AC power source400can be utility power. The third connection port113can be a corresponding utility power plug, and the charger100can be connected to the AC power source400by plugging the third connection port113into the utility power socket.

The AC-DC converter150has an input terminal and an output terminal. The AC-DC converter150can convert an AC power AC received at its input terminal to a first DC voltage DC1, and then output the first DC voltage DC1through its output terminal to the input terminal of the DC-DC converter120of the subsequent stage.

In the second embodiment, the second microcontroller140can further be configured to detect whether there is an AC power AC input through the third connection port113, and report a detection result to the first microcontroller130. In some embodiments, the second microcontroller140may detect by using a zero crossing point detection method.

FIG. 4AandFIG. 4Bare flowchart of a second embodiment of charging method. Please refer to all the figures from FIG. toFIG. 4B, the charger100can charge the battery200according to a second embodiment of charging method.

In the second embodiment of charging method, the charger100can utilize the first microcontroller130to communicate with the DC charging station300by handshake via the first connection port111(step S10), and utilize the second microcontroller140to detect whether there is an AC power AC input through the third connection port113(step S20).

In an implementation, the execution sequence of step S10and step S20may be swapped, or may be executed synchronously, and the second microcontroller140would report a detection result to the first microcontroller130, such that the first microcontroller130can determine how to perform the subsequent charging steps according to the handshake result between the first microcontroller130and the DC charging station300and the detection result of the second microcontroller140. In other words, both step S10and step S20should be performed at this time, and the first microcontroller130needs to wait for two results (i.e., the handshake result and the detection result) to determine out the subsequent step.

However, the present invention is not limited thereto. In another implementation, as long as the first microcontroller130finds that the handshake with the DC charging station300has succeeded, the charger100utilizes the first microcontroller130to disable the AC-DC converter150through the second microcontroller140(step S60), regardless of whether it receives the detection result of the second microcontroller140. In other words, as long as the result in step S10is that the handshake was successful, step S20can be skipped.

However, when the handshake result in step S10is that the handshake fails, the charger100must perform step S20to confirm whether there is an AC power AC input or not. Herein, when the second microcontroller140detects that the AC power AC is input through the third connection port113, the charger100can enable the AC-DC converter150by using the first microcontroller130through the second microcontroller140, so as to convert the AC power AC to the first DC voltage DC1(step S40).

When the second microcontroller140does not detect any AC power AC input through the third connection port113, the charger100returns to perform step S10(or perform step S10and step S20), or can enter into a sleep mode to wait for wake-up.

Furthermore, the charger100can utilize the first microcontroller130to communicate with the battery200by handshake via the second connection port112(step S30). In the second embodiment, the charger100may first perform the handshake with the DC charging station300and/or detect the AC power AC (i.e., step S10, step S20, step S60and step S40), and then perform the handshake with the battery200(i.e., step S30), as shown inFIG. 4AandFIG. 4B. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The charger100may first perform the handshake with the battery200, and then perform the handshake with the DC charging station300and/or detect the AC power AC. Moreover, in other embodiments, the charger100may perform both in synchronization.

When the handshake between the first microcontroller130and the DC charging station300succeeds, or when the handshake fails but the second microcontroller140detects AC power AC input through the third connection port113, the first microcontroller130communicates with the battery200by handshake. After the first microcontroller130conducts a handshake with the battery200, the charger100further utilizes the first microcontroller130to generate a regulation indication I1for use by the second microcontroller140according to the handshake result between the first microcontroller130and the battery200(step50), such that the second microcontroller140can generate a regulation signal S1to the DC-DC converter120according to the regulation indication I1(step70). After that, the charger100can utilize the DC-DC converter120to convert the first DC voltage DC1input through the first connection port111into a second DC current/voltage DC2, and output the second DC current/voltage DC2through the second connection port112to the battery200which is connected to the second connection port112(step90), so as to charge the battery200. When the handshake between the first microcontroller130and the DC charging station300succeeds, the first DC voltage DC1received at the input terminal of the DC-DC converter120is supplied by the DC charging station300through the first connection port111. When the handshake between the first microcontroller130and the DC charging station300fails but the second microcontroller140detects an AC power AC input through the third connection port113, the first DC voltage DC1received at the input terminal of the DC-DC converter120is supplied by the AC-DC converter150.

Herein, step S30in the second embodiment is substantially the same as step S30in the first embodiment; step S50in the second embodiment is substantially the same as step S50in the first embodiment; and step S70in the second embodiment is substantially the same as step S70in the first embodiment. Therefore, the detailed descriptions of step S30, step S50and step S70are not repeated herein.

In some embodiments, the charger100may be integrated into an electric motorcycle as an on-board charger. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the charger100may be outside of the electric motorcycle as an off-board charger.

As described above, the embodiments of the present invention provide a charger and a charging method, which isolates the communication between the battery and the DC charging station by the configuration of the first microcontroller. Therefore, potential problems that may occur between the battery and the DC charging station due to different communication standard can be avoided, and enable the battery to be charged by the DC charging station which is typically set for charging electric cars. Furthermore, through the configuration of the two microcontrollers, the communications and the step-down operation during the charging process can be separately processed by individual microcontrollers, thereby reducing the workload of each microcontroller and increasing the work efficiency. Moreover, with the configuration of the third connection port and the AC-DC converter, the battery can also be charged by applying the AC power in addition to the DC charging station.

The features of the embodiments described above make persons having ordinary skill in the art can clearly appreciate the form of the present specification. Persons having ordinary skill in the art can appreciate that the objectives and/or the advantages of the above embodiments can be accomplished in consistent with the above embodiments by designing or modifying other processes and structures based on the content of the present disclosure. Persons having ordinary skill in the art can also appreciate that the equivalent constructions without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention can be modified, substituted or retouched without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.