CHARGING MANAGEMENT DEVICE FOR VEHICLE AND METHOD THEREFOR

A charging management device for vehicle and a method thereof are provided. The charging management device includes a user DB constructed based on a pattern where a user uses a wireless charging road. A power network state identifying device identifies a power network state of the wireless charging road and a battery state identifying device identifies a battery state of a vehicle. A controller then generates a charging schedule with regard to a user profile, the power network state of the wireless charging road, and the battery state of the vehicle and adjusts battery charging based on the generated charging schedule.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0060221, filed on May 20, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a charging management device for vehicle and a method therefor, and more particularly, to a charging management device that maintains a charging level necessary for operation of the vehicle in a wireless charging road environment capable of charging the vehicle while driving to increase convenience of the user and a method therefor.

BACKGROUND

An electric vehicle charges a battery thereof and is driven using the power of the charged battery. Since the driving of the electric vehicle when the battery power is insufficient causes issues, an infrastructure for receiving charging power in the situation where power is insufficient while driving should be developed. Thus, as a charging station is provided on a route of the road, the electric vehicle may charge the battery at the charging station located on the path where the electric vehicle is traveling.

Recently, as infrastructures have been constructed on the road, technologies of simultaneously proceeding with charging an electric vehicle while the electric vehicle is traveling on the road have been developed. However, various variables may occur in using power in a wireless charging environment of the electric vehicle. Particularly, power shortages are expected due to an increase in electric vehicle market. Thus, there is a need for a method for efficiently adjusting power demand in a wireless charging environment.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a charging management device for vehicle for managing such that a charging level necessary for operation of the vehicle is maintained in a wireless charging road environment capable of charging the vehicle while driving to increase convenience of the user and a method therefor.

Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a charging management device for vehicle for generating a charging schedule which incurs a minimum power charging cost with regard to a power supply situation and a power price for each time zone in a wireless charging road environment and managing battery charging to save charging costs and a method therefor. The technical problems to be solved by the inventive concept are not limited to the aforementioned problems, and any other technical problems not mentioned herein will be clearly understood from the following description by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a charging management device for vehicle may include a user database (DB) constructed based on a pattern where a user uses a wireless charging road, a power network state identifying device configured to identify a power network state of the wireless charging road, a battery state identifying device configured to identify a battery state of a vehicle, and a controller configured to generate a charging schedule with regard to a user profile, the power network state of the wireless charging road, and the battery state of the vehicle and adjust battery charging based on the generated charging schedule.

The power network state of the wireless charging road may include information regarding a power supply state of a power network and information regarding a power price for each time zone. The controller may be configured to generate the charging schedule in an order of time zones when a power price is low, based on the information regarding the power supply state of the power network and the information regarding the power price for each time zone. The controller may be configured to generate the charging schedule except for a time zone when the power supply state is less than a reference level, based on the information regarding the power supply state of the power network and the information regarding the power price for each time zone.

The power network state management device may be configured to receive information regarding the power network state from an infrastructure located on the wireless charging road. The controller may be configured to generate the charging schedule again based on changed power network state information, when the changed power network state information is received from the infrastructure before the vehicle arrives at a destination. The controller may be configured to generate the charging schedule again based on at least one of a remaining distance to the destination, the battery state, or a location of a road section where a power supply state of a power network is greater than or equal to a reference level, when the power supply state of the power network changes to less than the reference level. The controller may be configured to request a navigation to provide line or route guidance according to the charging schedule, when the charging schedule is generated.

The battery state of the vehicle may include information regarding remaining battery capacity and information regarding a necessary amount of power needed until the vehicle arrives at a destination. The charging management device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a driving environment management device configured to obtain and manage a use pattern of the wireless charging road while the vehicle is being driven. The use pattern of the wireless charging road may include information regarding a use time zone and an average use time of the wireless charging road.

Furthermore, the charging management device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a user DB management device configured to construct and manage the user DB based on weekly data generated based on the information regarding the use time zone and the average use time of the wireless charging road for each day of the week and update the user DB using an average value of the weekly data during a certain period. The user DB management device may be configured to update the user DB based on the charging schedule, when the vehicle arrives at a destination.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a charging management method for vehicle may include identifying a use pattern of a wireless charging road from a user DB, identifying a power network state of the wireless charging road, identifying a battery state of a vehicle, and generating a charging schedule with regard to the use pattern of the wireless charging road, the power network state of the wireless charging road, and the battery state of the vehicle and adjust battery charging based on the generated charging schedule.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1is a drawing illustrating a wireless charging road environment according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring toFIG. 1, a wireless charging road1for supplying power for wireless charging to a vehicle which is being driven may be implemented on the road on which the vehicle is being driven. In particular, the wireless charging road1may be provided on one of lanes of the road. As an example, the wireless charging road1may be provided on the outermost lane among lanes of the road. Of course, a location where the wireless charging road1is provided is not limited thereto and the wireless charging road may be provided in various manners according to an implementation form.

At least one infrastructure for providing state information of a power network to vehicles may be installed on the wireless charging road1. Thus, the infrastructure may provide a target vehicle with the state information of the power network based on a request of the vehicle. Herein, the state information of the power network may include information regarding a power supply state of the power network, information regarding a power price for each time zone, and the like.

The vehicle may have a charging management device100configured to manage a state and charging of a battery of the vehicle while driving. Thus, the charging management device100may be configured to receive state information of the power network from the infrastructure on the wireless charging road1while driving and may be configured to generate a charging schedule with regard to the received state information of the power network. In particular, the charging management device100may be configured to generate the charging schedule with regard to a pattern in which a user uses the wireless charging road1. The charging management device100may be configured to generate the charging schedule, which incurs a minimum cost, with regard to a power supply state of the power network and a power price for each time zone and may be configured to perform charging control of the battery of the vehicle based on the generated charging schedule.

Herein, the charging management device100may be configured to generate the charging schedule except for a time zone where the power supply state is less than a reference level. The charging management device100according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented in the vehicle. In particular, the charging management device100may be integrally configured with controllers in the vehicle or may be implemented as a separate device to be connected with the control units of the vehicle by a separate connection means. Herein, the charging management device100may be linked to an engine and a motor of the vehicle to operate and may be linked to a controller configured to operate the engine or the motor.

Thus, a description will be given in detail of a configuration and operation of the charging management device100with reference to an exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 2.FIG. 2is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a charging management device for vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG. 3is a drawing illustrating an operation of a charging management device for vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 2, a charging management device100may include a user DB management device110, a user DB120, a driving environment management device130, a power network state identifying device140, a battery state identifying device150, and a controller160. The user DB management device110may be configured to construct and store the user DB120and manage a user profile stored in the user DB120. As an example, the user DB management device110may be configured to construct the user DB120using the user profile for a use pattern of a wireless charging road1ofFIG. 1.

Herein, the use pattern of the wireless charging road1may include a use time zone where a user uses the wireless charging road1and/or information regarding a daily average use time of the wireless charging road1, and/or the like. Herein, the user DB120may be constructed based on weekly data obtained by recording the use time zone of the wireless charging road1and/or the information about the daily average use time of the wireless charging road1on a weekly basis.

A detailed exemplary embodiment of the user DB120will be described with reference toFIG. 3. Referring toFIG. 3, the user uses the wireless charging road1in the time zone of 07:00 to 08:00 and 18:00 to 19:00 on Monday and the daily average use time of the wireless charging road1is 2 hours.

Furthermore, the user uses the wireless charging road1in the time zone of 08:00 to 09:00 and 18:00 to 19:00 on Tuesday and the daily average use time of the wireless charging road1is 2 hours. Additionally, the user uses the wireless charging road1in the time zone of 08:00 to 09:00 and 18:00 to 19:00 on Thursday and the daily average use time of the wireless charging road1is 2 hours. Further, the user uses the wireless charging road1in the time zone of 08:00 to 09:00 and 18:00 to 19:00 on Friday and the daily average use time of the wireless charging road1is 2 hours.

In addition, the user uses the wireless charging road1in the time zone of 13:00 to 14:00 on Saturday and the daily average use time of the wireless charging road1is 1 hour. Furthermore, the user uses the wireless charging road1in the time zone of 11:00 to 13:00 and 19:00 to 21:00 on Sunday and the daily average use time of the wireless charging road1is 4 hours. Meanwhile, the user does not use the wireless charging road1on Wednesday.

The user DB120shown inFIG. 3may be updated by data of a corresponding day of the week when the driving of the vehicle is completed and may be updated by weekly data on a weekly basis or on a monthly basis. The user DB management device110may be configured to update information stored in the user DB120using weekly data during a predetermined period. As an example, the user DB management device110may be configured to update information stored in the user DB120using weekly data recorded on a weekly basis for one month.

In particular, the user DB management device110may be configured to update information stored in the user DB120using an average value of the weekly data during the predetermined period. The user DB management device110may be configured to construct, store, and manage a DB for each user, when a plurality of users use the vehicle. The driving environment management device130may be configured to manage the use pattern of the wireless charging road1for the user when the vehicle is being driven.

Herein, the driving environment management device130may be configured to obtain and manage a day of the week when the wireless charging road1is used and information regarding a time zone when the wireless charging road1is used, while the vehicle is traveling. Furthermore, the driving environment management device130may be configured to obtain and manage information about an average time when the vehicle uses the wireless charging road1for a day. In particular, the driving environment management device130may be configured to deliver information regarding a use time zone of the wireless charging road1and a daily average use time of the wireless charging road1for each day of the week to the user DB management device110.

Additionally, the driving environment management device130may be configured to generate weekly data based on information regarding a use time zone of the wireless charging road1and a daily average use time of the wireless charging road1for each day of the week and may be configured to deliver the weekly data the user DB management device110. As an example, when the vehicle arrives at the destination and the driving of the vehicle is completed, the driving environment management device130may be configured to deliver information regarding a time zone and a use time when the road actually uses the wireless charging road1while driving to the user DB management device110. Thus, the user DB management device110may be configured to update the user DB120using the information regarding the use time zone and the use time of the wireless charging road1, which is received from the driving environment management device130when the driving of the vehicle is completed.

Particularly, the user DB management device110may be configured to update an average use time of the wireless charging road1for a week for each time zone using the information about the use time zone and the use time of the wireless charging road1. As an example, assuming that a use time of a first time zone for a week is that t1=[t11, t12, t13, t14, t15, t16, t17], when t1=[1, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0], an average use time of the first time zone for a weekly may be calculated with reference to Equation 1 below.

The power network state identifying device140may be configured to receive power network state information from a power network which manages a power network state of the wireless charging road1. In particular, the power network state identifying device140may be configured to receive power network state information in real time from the power network. Meanwhile, the power network state identifying device140may be configured to request the power network to transmit power network state information and may be configured to receive the power network state information from the power network in response to the request.

When the power network state information is changed, the power network state identifying device140may be configured to receive the changed power network state information from the power network. Herein, the power network state information may include information regarding a power supply state of the power network, information regarding a power price for each time zone, and the like.

The charging management device100may separately include a communication module supporting a communication interface with the power network. Meanwhile, the charging management device100may be configured to transmit and receive a signal with the power network via a communication module of the vehicle, without having a separate communication module. Herein, the communication module may include a module for accessing the wireless Internet or a module for short-range communication.

A wireless Internet technology may include wireless local area network (WLAN), wireless broadband (WiBro), wireless-fidelity (Wi-Fi), world interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), and/or the like. Furthermore, a short range communication technology may include Bluetooth, ZigBee, ultra wideband (UWB), radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), and/or the like.

When power supply information of the power network is received, the power network state identifying device140may be configured to identify a power supply state of the wireless charging road1and power cost for each time zone according to the power supply state from the received power supply information. In particular, the power network state identifying device140may be configured to deliver information regarding the power supply state of the wireless charging road1and information regarding the power cost for each time zone according to the power supply state to the controller160.

Meanwhile, in response to determining that there is a change in power supply information, that is, power supply state and/or power cost for each time zone while driving, the power network state identifying device140may be configured to deliver the changed power supply information to the controller160. The battery state identifying device150may be configured to identify a battery state of the vehicle while driving. Furthermore, the battery state identifying device150may be configured to identify a necessary amount of power needed until the vehicle arrives at the destination, based on a remaining distance to the destination.

In particular, the battery state identifying device150may be configured to interwork with a navigation of the vehicle to operate. In other words, the battery state identifying device150may be configured to request the navigation of the vehicle to provide information regarding a remaining distance to the destination. The battery state identifying device150may be configured to identify a necessary amount of power required until the vehicle arrives at the destination using the information regarding the remaining distance to the destination, which is identified from the navigation of the vehicle.

The battery state identifying device150may be configured to deliver information regarding the identified remaining capacity of the battery and the identified necessary amount of power to the controller160. The controller160may be configured to generate a charging schedule when the vehicle is traveling to the destination using the information regarding the power supply state of the power network and information regarding a real-time power price according to the power supply state, which are received from the power network state identifying device140, and information regarding the remaining capacity of the battery and information regarding the necessary amount of power, which are received from the battery state identifying device150.

Herein, the controller160may call the user DB120, may be configured to identify a charging pattern of the user, and generate a charging schedule with regard to all of the charging pattern of the user, the power supply state, real-time power price information, the remaining capacity of the battery, and the necessary amount of power. In particular, the controller160may be configured to generate a charging schedule which incurs a minimum charging cost. In other words, the controller160may be configured to generate a charging schedule in an order of time zones when the power price is low among time zones permitted to use the wireless charging road1, which is identified from the user DB120, such that the amount of charging is not greater than a necessary amount of power.

As an example, assuming that the current remaining capacity of the battery is x and that a necessary amount of power needed to the destination is y, a target amount of charging required to move to the destination may be indicated as z=x−y. Furthermore, assuming that a rechargeable time zone is that t=[t1, t2, . . . , tT] (where T is 24 hours), a rechargeable time zone identified on a corresponding day of the week from the user DB120may be indicated as t=[0, 1, 0, . . . , tT].

Furthermore, assuming that a power price for each time zone is that p=[p1, p2, . . . , pT] (where T is 24 hours), a power price for each time zone, which is identified from the power network state identifying device140, may be indicated as p=[100, 150, 300, . . . , pT]. In particular, when a target amount of charging is less than 0, the controller160may be configured to calculate a minimum power charging cost by applying t and p to Equation 2 below and may be configured to generate a charging schedule which incurs the minimum power charging cost based on the minimum power charging cost.

In Equation 2 above, P refers to the minimum power charging cost. The minimum power charging cost P may be calculated by adding power prices in time zones when the power price is low among rechargeable time zones. In Equation 2 above, the charging schedule T=[T1, T2, . . . , TT] may be generated based on a time zone applied to calculate the minimum power charging cost.

Meanwhile, the controller160may be configured to generate a charging schedule except for a time zone when enough power is not supplied since the power supply state of the power network is less than a reference level when generating the charging schedule. As an example, the reference level for determining the power supply state may be determined according to, but not limited to, a suppliable amount of power. When the charging schedule until the vehicle arrives at the destination is generated, the controller160may be configured to adjust wireless charging of the vehicle based on the generated charging schedule.

When wireless charging is required based on the charging schedule, the controller160may allow the vehicle to move to the wireless charging road1to perform wireless charging. Otherwise, when wireless charging is not required based on the charging schedule, the controller160may allow the vehicle to drive after departing from the wireless charging road1. When the charging schedule is generated, the controller160may be configured to request the navigation to provide lane or route guidance according to the charging schedule. Thus, the navigation may guide the vehicle to move to another lane (e.g., the charging lane) or may guide the vehicle along a route, depending on the charging schedule. Herein, the navigation may be provided in the vehicle and may interwork with the charging management device100to operate.

When changed power supply information is received from the power network state identifying device140while performing wireless charging based on the charging schedule, the controller160may be configured to generate a charging schedule again by reflecting the changed power supply information. As an example, when the power supply state of the power network changes to less than a reference level, the controller160may be configured to generate the charging schedule again based on at least one of a remaining distance to a destination, a battery state, or a location of a road section where the power supply state is greater than or equal to the reference level.

At this time, the controller160may be configured to adjust wireless charging based on the charging schedule generated again. Particularly, the controller160may be configured to request the navigation to guide the vehicle along a lane or route according to the charging schedule generated again. When the vehicle arrives at the destination, the controller160may be configured to deliver information about the charging schedule to the user DB management device110. In particular, the user DB management device110may be configured to update a user profile, that is, a use pattern of the wireless charging road1, which is recorded in the user DB120based on the charging schedule.

Although not illustrated inFIG. 2, the charging management device100according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may further include an interface (not shown) including an input for receiving a control command from the user, an output for outputting an operation state, an operation result, and the like of the charging management device100. Herein, the input may include a key button and may further include a soft key implemented on a display. Furthermore, the input may further include a mouse, a joystick, a jog shuttle, a stylus pen, or the like.

The output may include the display and may further include a voice output means. In particular, a touch sensor such as a touch film, a touch sheet, or a touch pad may be provided in the display, the display may operate as a touchscreen and may be implemented in a form where the input and the output are integrated with each other. The display may include at least one of a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor-LCD (TFT-LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a flexible display, a field emission display (FED), or a three-dimensional (3D) display.

The charging management device100for vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, which performs the above-mentioned operations, may be implemented in the form of an independent hardware device and may be driven in the form of being included in another hardware device, such as a microprocessor, as at least one processor. A description will be given in detail of operational flow of the charging management device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, which has the above-mentioned configuration.

FIGS. 4 to 6are flowcharts illustrating operational flow of a charging control method for vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring toFIG. 4, when the vehicle starts to travel in S110, in S120, a charging management device100ofFIG. 2may be configured to call or access a user DB120constructed for a corresponding user and may be configured to identify a user profile. Herein, the user profile may include a use pattern of a wireless charging road1ofFIG. 1, for example, information such as a use time zone and an average use time.

Furthermore, in S130, the charging management device100may be configured to identify a power network state, that is, a power supply state and information regarding a power price for each time zone, from a power network. Furthermore, in S140, the charging management device100may be configured to identify a battery state of the vehicle. In S140, the charging management device100may be configured to identify the remaining capacity of the battery of the vehicle, a necessary amount of power to a destination, and the like.

In S150, the charging management device100may be configured to match information identified in S120to S140, that is, the use pattern of the wireless charging road1, the power network state, and the battery state to generate a charging schedule. A description will be given of detailed operation flow of S150with reference toFIG. 5.

Referring toFIG. 5, in S210, the charging management device100may be configured to match the use time zone and the use time of the wireless charging road1, the necessary amount of power, and the power price for each time zone, which are identified in S120to S140, for each time zone. In S220, the charging management device100may be configured to generate a charging schedule which incurs a minimum cost in an order of time zones when the power price is low among the results matched in S210.

In this process, the charging management device100may be configured to generate the charging schedule except for a time zone when the power supply state is less than a reference level. In S160, the charging management device100may be configured to adjust battery charging based on the charging schedule generated in S150when the vehicle arrives at a destination. Meanwhile, when a change in power network state occurs before the vehicle arrives at the destination in S170, the charging management device100may be configured to perform S130to S160again to generate a charging schedule again depending on the changed power network state and adjust battery charging based on the charging schedule generated again.

Herein, the charging management device100may be configured to generate the charging schedule, where a power price of the wireless charging road1is changed or where a power supply state of the power network is changed, again. As an example, when the power supply state of the power network changes to less than a reference level, the charging management device100may be configured to generate the charging schedule again based on at least one of a remaining distance to a destination, a battery state, or a location of a road section where the power supply state is greater than or equal to the reference level.

At this time, the charging management device100may be configured to request the linked navigation to guide the vehicle to move a line or guide the vehicle along a route depending on the changed charging schedule. When the vehicle arrives at the destination in S180, in S190, the charging management device100may be configured to update a user DB120based on information regarding the use of the wireless charging road1.

A description will be given of detailed operation flow of S190with reference toFIG. 6. Referring toFIG. 6, in S310, the charging management device100may be configured to access or call the user DB120. In S320, the charging management device100may be configured to identify a use time zone and a use time of the wireless charging road1based on the changing schedule generated while driving. In S330, the charging management device100may be configured to update data recorded in the user DB120based on the information identified in S320.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the charging management device may be configured to manage such that a charging level necessary for operation of the vehicle is maintained in a wireless charging road environment capable of charging the vehicle while driving, thus increasing convenience of the user. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the charging management device may be configured to generate a charging schedule which incurs a minimum power charging cost with regard to a power supply situation and a power price for each time zone in a wireless charging road environment, thus saving charging costs.