Abstract:
An on-shore electrical charging system and a method thereof are provided. The on-shore electrical charging system for vessels includes an on-shore electrical charging apparatus and a management platform. The electrical charging apparatus includes at least one digital watt hour meter, an identification apparatus, an electromagnetic lock, an emergency switch, a charge management module, and at least one plug. The method of on-shore electrical charging allows a vessel charge record to be sent to the management platform, so that users and system managers can obtain and management information such as charge status and charge amount.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates in general to an electrical charging system and method thereof, and more particularly to an on-shore electrical charging system and method thereof. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Green industry activities are continuously encouraged by various fields in the hope that an original efficiency can be achieved while reducing emitted pollutions. Domestically in Sun Moon Lake, promotions of electric vessels have been launched, and so the vessels are additionally equipped with pure electric power that together with original power generators perform hybrid power operations. To supplement resources for the pure electric power, alternating current (AC) charging columns are required on shore to provide the vessels with electric power supply. 
         [0005]    A conventional charging device is mainly tailored for charging electric vehicles and thus may not be meet all requirements of electric vessels. Further, a conventional charging device is capable of charging electric vehicles but lacks functions of charging management. Also, in the absence of means for connecting to a management platform, a conventional on-shore charging device cannot be managed by a centralized management control center for management activities including general management as well as data collection and analysis. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The invention is directed to an on-shore electrical charging system and method thereof. Apart from providing a charging hardware device for vessels, the invention further provides a management module for managing a charging process and charging information. The on-shore electrical charging system for vessels comprises an electrical charging apparatus and a management platform. The on-shore electrical charging device comprises at least one digital watt hour meter, an identification apparatus, an electromagnetic lock, an emergency switch, a charge management module, and at least one plug. The at least one digital watt hour meter, the identification apparatus, the emergency switch are respectively connected to the charge management module. The at least one plug is connected to a vessel electrical charger, which accordingly charges a battery set on the vessel. The on-shore electrical charging device for vessels may be provided with a cover. The cover covers the at least one digital watt hour meter, the identification apparatus, the emergency switch and the charge management module, and is locked by the electromagnetic lock to prevent unauthorized and undesired contact and use of the on-shore electrical charging apparatus for vessels of the present invention. 
         [0007]    The charge management module controls a charging process of the on-shore electrical charging system for vessels. The method of charging management comprises: activating a charge management module, verifying a user identification, unlocking the cover, setting an output mode, starting to charge or disconnecting power supply, determining whether to activate the emergency switch, connecting the plug, outputting power supply to a vessel electrical charger, logging out the user identification, and locking the cover. 
         [0008]    The power supply for the on-shore electrical charging system for vessels may be from a market electricity system and/or a power generating system. The management platform of the on-shore electrical charging system for vessels comprises a charge information inquiry module, a charge information collecting module, a charge information processing module, and a charge information database. The charge information processing module is connected to the charge information inquiry module and the charge information collecting module, and requests charge information from the charge management module via the charge information inquiry module and the charge information collecting module. The charge information database is connected to the charge information processing module. The charge information processing module categorizes obtained charge information and establishes a charge archive that is stored in the charge information database for future user search and access. 
         [0009]    The above and other aspects of the invention will become better understood with regard to the following detailed description of the preferred but non-limiting embodiments. The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an on-shore electrical charging system for vessels according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a method performed by an on-shore charge system for vessels of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is another flowchart of a method performed by an on-shore charge system for vessels of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an on-shore electrical charging system for vessels  110  according to an embodiment comprises an on-shore electrical charging device for vessels  100  and a management platform  200 . The on-shore electrical charging device for vessels  100  at least one digital watt hour meter  101 , a charge management module  102 , an emergency switch  103 , an identification apparatus  104 , an electromagnetic lock  105  and at least one plug  106 . The at least one digital watt hour meter  101 , the emergency switch  103 , the identification apparatus  104  and the electromagnetic lock  105  are respectively connected to the charge management module  102 . The at least one plug  106 , connected to a vessel electrical charger  301 , is connected to a market electricity system  401  and/or a power generating system  402  to provide power to the vessel electrical charger  301 . The vessel electrical charger  301  then is allowed to charge a battery set  302  disposed on an electric vessel  300 . 
         [0014]    In this embodiment, for example, the charge management module  102  is a touch control industrial computer that is operated through a touch display. Thus, a hardware configuration may be simplified while also satisfying a crucial requirement of high space efficiency for vessels. Further, to increase utilization security, the at least one plug  106  may be an interlocking plug. 
         [0015]    The identification apparatus  104  verifies a user identification. For example, the identification apparatus  104  is a digital, electronic, biological and/or mechanical identification apparatus. For example, the identification apparatus  104  is capable of identifying radio frequency identification (RFID) systems, quick response codes (QR-code), fingerprints, keys, numbers, voiceprints and/or facial features. Only with a valid verification license obtained from the identification apparatus  104  through a verification medium possessed by a user, a user is allowed to use the on-shore electrical charge system for vessels  110 . 
         [0016]    The on-shore electrical charging system for vessels  110  of the present invention may further comprise a cover  111 . The cover  111  covers the at least watt meter  101 , the emergency switch  103  and the charge management module  102 . By locking the cover  111  with the electromagnetic lock  105 , not only unauthorized contact of the on-shore electrical charging system for vessels  110  is obviated, but equipment or personnel damages resulted by a third person accidentally engaging the present invention are also prevented. 
         [0017]    The on-shore electrical charging apparatus for system  110  of the present invention may be connected to a market electricity system  401  and/or a power generating system  402 , to provide a power supply for charging. For example, the market electricity system  401  is a power network system established by a local government or by a private power company; the power system  402  is a power generating device such as a gasoline power generator, a diesel power generator or a fuel battery. 
         [0018]    The charge management module  102  is connected to the management platform  200  and transmits charge-related information to the management platform  200 , so as to allow the management platform  200  to effectively manage the on-shore electrical charge apparatus for vessels  100  from a remote end. The management platform  200 , being capable of managing at least one connected on-shore electrical charging apparatus for vessels  100 , comprises a charge information inquiry module  201 , a charge information collecting module  202 , a charge information processing module  203 , and a charge information database  204 . The charge information processing module  203  is connected to the charge information inquiry module  201 , the charge information collecting module  202 , and the charge information database  204 . 
         [0019]    After the charge management module  102  is activated, charging information may be transmitted between the charge management module  102  and the management platform  200  via the Internet on a periodical or manual basis. The charge information includes a user identification, a charge time, a disconnection time, and/or an amount of outputted power supply. 
         [0020]    According to an embodiment, a method performed by the charge management module  102  comprises: activating the charge management module (Step  501 ), verifying a user identification (Step  502 ), unlocking the cover (Step  503 ), setting an output mode (Step  504 ), determining whether to activate the emergency stop switch (Step  508 ), connecting the plug (Step  509 ), outputting power supply to the vessel electrical charger (Step  510 ), disconnecting power as an emergency (Step  511 ), logging out the user identification (Step  512 ), and locking the cover (Step  513 ). 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the charge management module is activated in Step  501 , and the user identification is verified through a verification medium possessed by the user in Step  502 . Step  503  is performed if the verification in Step  502  is successful to unlock the cover, or else the method iterates Step  501  if the verification is failed. After unlocking the lock, Step  504  is performed in which the user selects either starting to charge as Step  505  or disconnecting power supply as Step  506 . In the event that no command is received from the user after 30 seconds or after a predetermined period, the charge management module  102  logs out in Step  507 . In Step  513 , the cover is locked, and the method returns to Step  502  to perform the user identification verification step. After performing either Step  505  of starting to charge or Step  506  of disconnecting power supply, it is determined whether to activate the emergency stop switch in Step  508 . If the emergency stop switch is not activated, the plug is connected in Step  509 , followed by outputting power supply to the vessel charger in Step  510 . When charging is completed, Step  512  is performed to log out the user identification and Step  513  is performed to lock the cover. The charge management module  102  then returns to Step  502  for the user identification verification step. If the emergency stop switch is activated, the charge management module  102  sequentially performs Step  511  to disconnect the power as an emergency, Step  512  to log out the user identification, and Step  513  to lock the cover, and then returns to Step  502  of the user identification verification. 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  shows another operating method of the on-shore electrical charging system of the present invention. After activating a charge management module in Step  501 , the management platform performs steps of: inquiring charge information (Step  514 ), collecting the charge information (Step  515 ), categorizing the charge information (Step  516 ), establishing a charge archive (Step  517 ), and storing the a charge archive (Step  518 ). 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , in Step  501 , a charge management module is activated. In Step  514 , charge information is inquired according to a user identification. In Step  515 , via the Internet, the charge information is collected on a periodical or manual basis. In Step  516 , the collected charge information is compiled or categorized. In Step  517 , a charge archive is established. In Step  518 , the charge archive is stored. 
         [0024]    While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.