Abstract:
As the density of Electric Vehicle deployments in residential neighborhoods increase, demand on local power grids may exceed the local utility power supply causing local brown outs or transformer failure. The invention describes a method and process which enables the acquisition and efficient RF transmission of data that enables utility customers, utilities and/or other controlling entities to collaboratively regulate the timing and rate of Electric Vehicle battery charging in a manner that avoids peak-load related transformer failures.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates the power distribution networks, in particular electrical grid power demand control and load management associated with electric vehicle battery charging. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    As the number Electric Vehicles deployed increase the likely hood for several of these Electric Vehicles being housed within the same local area and connect to common utility transformer become more likely. There is a high probability that multiple Electric Vehicles will require recharging at the same time. This increased load on a common connected transformer will likely present an overload condition due to the inadequate sizing of the existing transformer infrastructure and would cause the transformer to fail resulting in power distribution failure. 
         [0003]    When multiple electric vehicle charging systems are active, peak demands can overlap increasing overall demand of the central supply point (the local distribution transformer). The only means to protect the central point supply is to coordinate each separate peak load domain so they do not overload the central supply point (i.e. the utility power transformer). 
         [0004]    Control within each independent load domain is determined by its own EV battery charging policy, which can be influenced by variable electricity rate plans (for example time-of-use pricing) as set by a utility or third party service. By exerting external control within each independent domain, a specific pre-negotiated re-charge policy can be exercised, thus the total load of the single point supply can be predicted and managed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a connection between the electric vehicle and the electric vehicle charge station which contains two way communication as well as transference of power that is used to charge the electric vehicle. 
         [0006]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a communication connection between electric vehicle and the electric vehicle charge station which provides control information from the electric vehicle to the electric vehicle charge station and status information from the electric vehicle charge station back to the electric vehicle. 
         [0007]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a wireless radio contained within the electric vehicle that is used to transmit and receive status and control information by means of a cellular communication system to a remotely located computer system that contains analytical programs and database tables that describe the local power distribution network properties that the electric vehicle charge station is connected to also known as a demand response aggregator (which can be a utility or an authorized third party). 
         [0008]    In accordance with a further aspect of the invention a method is provided for controlling both charge rate and start time of a charge event used to charge electric vehicle by means of sending command and control information from a demand response aggregator based on power distribution topology that has been predefined from the location of the vehicle as well as the electric vehicle charge station ID and location. 
         [0009]    The above summary of the present invention is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment, or every implementation, of the present invention. This is the purpose of the figures and the detailed description which follow. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0010]    Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1 . Is a functional block diagram illustrating the connection between the Utility Distribution Transformer, Electric Vehicle Service Equipment, communication paths and the demand response aggregator. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2 . Is a functional block diagram illustrating the relationship of the power distribution network and the wireless connection between the electric vehicle(s) and the Demand Response aggregation servers. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3 . Is a functional block diagram illustrating the relationship between residences and businesses connected to the same utility transformer and associated communication paths between these residences and businesses to and from the demand response aggregators through the electric vehicle attached cellular network 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    In the following detailed description numerous specifics are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention may be used without understanding many of these specific details. 
         [0015]    Turning to the drawings,  FIG. 1  illustrates the step down distribution transformer  6 ,  37  which connects to the utility  24  by means of transmission lines  25  and  26 . The utility transformer  6  defines a central distribution point which supplies public electric vehicle charge stations  4 ,  5  by means of connection  9 ,  10 . Electric vehicles  2 ,  3  are connected to the electric vehicle charge station  4 ,  5  by means of cable  30 ,  31  which contains both a bidirectional communication data path and power used to charge electric vehicles battery. Cellular radios within electric vehicle  2 ,  3  communicate status and control data through cellular service indicated by wireless connection paths  7 ,  8  to a cloud portal  1  which provides a status and control data through connection to the demand response aggregator  27  by means of connection  28 . Two way Data communications between the utility and the demand response aggregator is transmitted by means of connection  29 . 
         [0016]    As will become apparent from the description herein one aspect of the invention provides a means for control of the total power that the utility transformer  6  would be supplying by sending control information to determine the charge rate and or start time to charge stations  4  and charge station  5  for the purpose of limiting overall demand based on the ability of transformer  6  to supply current coupled with the ability of connection  25  to support transformers  6  current requirements from utility  24  through use of control information from the demand response aggregator  27   
         [0017]    In another specific embodiment, home residences  11 ,  12 ,  13  are connected to transformer  37  by means of connection  35 ,  36 ,  23 . Step down distribution transformer  37  receives power from utility  24  by means of connection  26 . Electric vehicle charge stations that are connected to electric vehicle  14 ,  16 ,  18  by means of bidirectional data and power connections  32 ,  33 ,  34  respectively receive their power from each residence  11 , 12 , 13  respectively. Cellular radios within electric vehicle  14 , 16 , 18  communicate status and control data through cellular service indicated by wireless connection paths  20 , 21 , 22  to a cloud portal  1  which provides a status and control data through connection to the demand response aggregator  27  by means of connection  28 . Data from the utility is forwarded to the demand response aggregator by means of connection  29 . 
         [0018]    It will also become apparent from description herein another aspect of the invention provides means for control incremental power demand to transformer  37  by obtaining load status information from and send control commands to charge stations  15 ,  17 ,  19  through the communication data path established by electric vehicles plugged into each charge station. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates a specific embodiment of the demand response interconnection between the utility customer (i.e. EV owner) and the utility and/or utility demand response aggregator  60  that is enabled by a data services network  59 . 
         [0020]    The data services network  59  facilitates the acquisition of utility customer preference data for electric vehicle charging (e.g. when the vehicle is needed and priority time frames for battery charging) and then transfers this data via a commercial cellular network  58  to the utility and/or aggregator  60 . 
         [0021]    This data is delivered in pre-defined time intervals, in a form that enables the utility and/or utility demand response aggregator  60  to optimize electric vehicle charging schedules and requirements using their proprietary methodology for achieving electrical load balance on the local electric network. 
         [0022]    The data services network  59  then facilitates the delivery of control parameters using a commercial cellular network  58  connections to the electric vehicle cellular radios  68 ,  79 ,  90  embedded in the electric vehicles  51 , 54 , 57  respectively, to the charge stations  50 ,  53 ,  56  respectively in order to enable the desired load balancing in harmony with the utility customers&#39; preferences. 
         [0023]    Other aspects of this specific embodiment as shown in  FIG. 2  are three power meters  49 , 52 , 55  each connected to utility transformer  45  by means of  61 , 72 , 83  respectively that provides power to the charge stations  50 ,  53 ,  56  respectively by means of connection  62 ,  73 ,  84  respectively. The utility transformer  45  receives grid power by connection  99 . Charge station  50 ,  53 ,  56  are uniquely identified by means of the unique user ID (UUID) located within the CPU control board  96 ,  97 ,  99  respectively. 
         [0024]    There are three electric vehicles  51 ,  54 ,  57  that are connected to charge station  50 ,  53 ,  56  respectively by means of a bidirectional connection  63 ,  74 ,  85  respectively. 
         [0025]    Electric vehicle  51  is being charged by means of connection  63  gated by power control  64  into battery  66  by means of connection  65 . Power status and battery condition is monitored by CPU  70 . CPU  70  along with its unique user ID (UUID) is used to communicate to the utility by means of radio  68  using wireless connection  71  to cellular network  58  which forwards information using connection  94  into data network services and server farm  59 . This information is then forwarded to the utility demand response aggregation  60  by means of connection  95 . 
         [0026]    Electric vehicle  54  is being charged by means of connection  74  gated by power control  75  into battery  77  by means of connection  76 . Power status and battery condition is monitored by CPU  81 . CPU  81  along with its unique user ID (UUID) is used to communicate to the utility by means of radio  79  via wireless connection  82  to cellular network  58  which forwards information using connection  94  into data network services and server farm  59 . This information is then forwarded to the utility demand response aggregation  60  by means of connection  95 . 
         [0027]    Electric vehicle  57  is connected to charge station  56  by means of bidirectional connection  85 . Electric vehicle  57  is not taking a charge due to a specific command from the demand response aggregator  60  through connection  95  through data network services  59  through connection  94  through cellular network  58  through wireless connection  93  through radio  90  which is contained within the electric vehicle  57  through connection  91  to control CPU  92  that contains unique user ID (UUID) that matches the address of the command. 
         [0028]      FIG. 3  illustrates an implementation of the invention, that embodies the interconnection between multiple residences and businesses that are connected to a common utility transformer  101  which received great power via connection  100 . Smart power meter  104  receives utility power via connection  102  and Powerline or Wireless data indicated by connection  103 . Residence  49  is connected to Smart power meter  52  by  128 . Smart power meter  52  receipts utility power via connection  125  and Powerline or Wireless data indicated by connection  126 . Business  134  is connected to smart power meter  122  which received utility power via connection  130  and Powerline or Wireless data indicated by connection  131 . 
         [0029]    Each smart meter in this network can communicate to each other current demand that each one is measuring within this Powerline or Wireless data network. Communication of this data back to the demand response aggregator  122  is facilitated by connection  105  contains powerline or Wireless data to charge station  106  pack and process powerline data via CPU  107  coupled with its unique user ID that identifies the user. This information is then forwarded via connection  108  to the power control  110  which is embedded in the electric vehicle  109  through computer  116  which contains the electric vehicle user&#39;s unique ID this data is then routed through connection  115  Cellular Radio  114  which transmits the requested data via wireless connection  117  to the Cellular network  118  through IP connection  119  through data services  120  through IP connection  121  to demand response aggregator  122 . The demand response aggregator  122  receives power network characteristics of utility transformer  101  and demand/policy information from utility  124  via  123 . The demand response aggregator  122  and then sends control information to electric vehicle  109  on the reverse data path allowing the electric vehicle  109  to ask for charge from charge station  106  using connection  108 . 
         [0030]    The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention should be considered as illustrative and not as limiting. Various changes and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the true scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.