Back to results
US 11,901,523 B2Granted
Vehicular battery charger, charging system, and method with in-vehicle display of charge time and remote control
OwnerChristopher B. Austininventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle battery charger and a vehicle battery charging system are described and illustrated, and can include a controller enabling a user to enter a time of day at which the vehicle battery charger or system begins and/or ends charging of the vehicle battery. The vehicle battery charger can be separate from the vehicle, can be at least partially integrated into the vehicle, can include a transmitter and/or a receiver capable of communication with a controller that is remote from the vehicle and vehicle charger, and can be controlled by a user or another party (e.g., a power utility) to control battery charging based upon a time of day, cost of power, or other factors.
Claims34
A vehicle charger for charging a battery of a vehicle, the vehicle charger comprising:
- a display mounted within the vehicle and within view of a user seated in the vehicle;
- and
- a first controller onboard the vehicle and coupled to the display, the first controller configured to:
- calculate an amount of time required to charge the battery,
- display, during an active charging session of the battery, the calculated amount of time upon the display,
- repeatedly update the time upon the display during the active charging session,
- control power supply to the battery during the active charging session responsive at least in part to input received via a user interface coupled to the first controller, and
- control power supply to the battery during the active charging session responsive at least in part to a wireless signal received during the active charging session from a second controller remote from the vehicle charger and the vehicle.
5 more elements
A method of charging a battery of a vehicle, the method comprising:
- calculating, via a first controller included in the vehicle, an amount of time required to charge the battery;
- displaying, via the first controller, during an active charging session of the battery, the amount of time upon a display mounted within the vehicle;
- repeatedly updating, via the first controller, the time upon the display during the active charging session;
- controlling, via the first controller, power supply to the battery during the active charging session responsive at least in part to input received via a user interface coupled to the first controller;
- and
- controlling, via the first controller, power supply to the battery during the active charging session responsive at least in part to a wireless signal received during the active charging session from a second controller remote from the vehicle.
3 more elements
A vehicle charger for charging a battery of a vehicle, the vehicle charger comprising:
- a display mounted within the vehicle;
- a first controller onboard the vehicle and coupled to the display;
- and
- a receiver electronically coupled to the first controller and a second controller remote from the vehicle charger and the vehicle,
- wherein the first controller is configured to:
- calculate an amount of time required to charge the battery,
- display a calculated amount of time required to charge the battery upon the display,
- repeatedly update the time upon the display,
- control power supply to the battery responsive at least in part to input received via a user interface coupled to the first controller, and
- control power supply to the battery responsive at least in part to a signal received during an active charging session from the second controller, wherein the first controller is configured to control power supply to the battery responsive to the signal by at least one of a group consisting of increasing a rate of charge of the battery, decreasing a rate of charge of the battery, starting battery charging, and stopping battery charging.
7 more elements
A vehicle charger for charging a battery of a vehicle, the vehicle charger comprising:
- a display mounted within the vehicle and within view of a user seated in the vehicle;
- and
- a first controller onboard the vehicle and coupled to the display, the first controller configured to:
- calculate an amount of time required to charge the battery,
- display, during an active charging session of the battery wherein charging is controlled according to at least one user-defined condition, the calculated amount of time upon the display,
- repeatedly update the time upon the display during the active charging session,
- control power supply to the battery during the active charging session responsive at least in part to input received via a user interface coupled to the first controller, and
- control power supply to the battery during the active charging session responsive at least in part to a wireless signal received during the active charging session from a second controller remote from the vehicle charger and the vehicle, wherein controlling the power supply to the battery responsive at least in part to the wireless signal includes controlling charging of the battery regardless of the at least one user-defined condition.
5 more elements
A method of charging a battery of a vehicle, the method comprising:
- calculating, via a first controller included in the vehicle, an amount of time required to charge the battery;
- displaying, via the first controller, during an active charging session of the battery, the amount of time upon a display mounted within the vehicle;
- repeatedly updating, via the first controller, the time upon the display during the active charging session;
- controlling, via the first controller, power supply to the battery during the active charging session responsive at least in part to input received via a user interface coupled to the first controller;
- and
- controlling, via the first controller, power supply to the battery during the active charging session responsive at least in part to a wireless signal received during the active charging session from a second controller remote from the vehicle, wherein controlling the power supply to the battery during the active charging session responsive at least in part to the wireless signal includes modifying the active charging session.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.