# US 12,191,694 B2 · Methods for vehicle battery charging

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- Number: US 12,191,694 B2
- Document ID: US12191694B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/530,812
- Filed: 2021-11-19
- Published: 2023-04-06
- Granted: 2025-01-07
- Earliest claimed: 2021-10-06
- Assignees: Geotab Inc.
- Applicants: Geotab Inc.
- Inventors: Eric Christopher Mallia; Christopher Joseph Mendes; Matthew Stevens; Young Seok Shin; Michael Douglas McLean
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191694B2

## CPC

- H01M 10/48: Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte (constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569)
- H02J 7/933: {the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters}
- B60L 53/14: Conductive energy transfer
- B60L 53/16: Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
- B60L 53/305: {Communication interfaces}
- B60L 53/62: in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
- B60L 53/63: in response to network capacity
- B60L 53/64: Optimising energy costs, e.g. responding to electricity rates
- B60L 53/67: Controlling two or more charging stations
- B60L 58/12: responding to state of charge [SoC]
- B60L 58/15: Preventing overcharging
- G05B 15/02: electric
- G06Q 30/0234: Rebates after completed purchase
- H01M 10/44: Methods for charging or discharging (circuits for charging H02J7/00)
- H01M 10/446: {Initial charging measures}
- H02J 7/40: characterised by the exchange of charge or discharge related data
- H02J 7/445: {in response to measured battery parameters, e.g. voltage, current or temperature profile}
- H02J 7/50: acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially
- H02J 7/61: against overcharge
- H02J 7/80: including monitoring or indicating arrangements
- H02J 7/82: Control of state of charge [SOC]
- H02J 7/875: {Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation}
- H02J 7/92: with prioritisation of loads or sources
- H02J 13/12: Monitoring network conditions, e.g. electrical magnitudes or operational status
- B60L 53/665: {Methods related to measuring, billing or payment}
- B60L 2240/80: Time limits
- B60L 2250/14: by input of vehicle departure time
- H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- H02J 3/14: by switching loads on to, or off from, the networks, e.g. progressively balanced loading
- H02J 7/62: against overcurrent
- H02J 2105/55: according to an economic condition, e.g. tariff-based load management
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
- Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations
- Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and devices for controlling charging of vehicles, to avoid charging during charge-adverse time periods or during charge restriction events. This can advantageously reduce cost to vehicles owners, and or provide access to reward incentives. Further, power distribution entities (utility providers) advantageously have increased control over power distribution to avoid over-burdening of power distribution infrastructure. Further, systems and methods for determining or inferring whether a vehicle is connected to a charge station are described, which can be used to inform automatic restriction of vehicle charging.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for controlling charging of a battery of a vehicle by a power source external to the vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving, by a control unit, an indication of a minimum charge threshold for the battery;
receiving, by the control unit, an indication of a charge-restriction event, the charge-restriction event being a designated period of time to solicit reduction in power usage;
determining, by the control unit, whether a charge level of the battery is above the minimum charge threshold before an end of the charge-restriction event;
if the charge level is below the minimum charge threshold, enabling charging of the battery at a first charge rate during the charge-restriction event;
if the charge level is above the minimum charge threshold, restricting charging of the battery to a second charge rate less than the first charge rate during the charge-restriction event; and
enabling charging of the battery at the first charge rate outside of the charge-restriction event, regardless of whether the charge level is above the minimum charge threshold.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
transmitting, by a communication interface, an indication of whether charging of the battery is enabled at the first charging rate or restricted to the second charge rate for the charge-restriction event.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the indication of whether charging of the battery is enabled at the first charging rate or restricted to the second charge rate is transmitted prior to a beginning of the charge-restriction event.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the indication of whether charging of the battery is enabled at the first charging rate or restricted to the second charge rate is transmitted during the charge-restriction event.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the indication of whether charging of the battery is enabled at the first charging rate or restricted to the second charge rate is transmitted after an end of the charge-restriction event.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving, by a device remote from the vehicle and the power source, an indication of whether charging of the battery is enabled at the first charging rate or restricted to the second charge rate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising allocating a reward for a recipient associated with the vehicle if charging was restricted to the second charge rate during the charge-restriction event.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein allocating the reward comprises allocating a proportional reward for the recipient associated with the vehicle based on a quantity of energy which is saved during the charge-restriction event by restricting charging of the battery to the second charge rate instead of enabling charging of the battery at the first charge rate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of the charge-restriction event comprises receiving, by the control unit via a communication interface, the indication of the charge-restriction event from a device remote from the vehicle and the power source.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by a device remote from the vehicle and the power source, the indication of the charge-restriction event.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
monitoring, by the control unit, the charge level of the battery during charging of the battery;
if the charge level of the battery goes from below the minimum charge threshold to above the minimum charge threshold during the charge-restriction event:
restricting charging of the battery to a second charge rate less than the first charge rate until an end of the charge-restriction event; and
transmitting, by a communication interface in communication with the control unit, an indication of when charging of the battery is restricted to the second charge rate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving an override input from a user;
in response to the override input, enabling charging of the battery at the first charge rate during the charge-restriction event even if the charge level is below the minimum charge threshold; and
transmitting, by a communication interface in communication with the control unit, an indication of when charging of the battery is enabled at the first charge rate.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein:
the control unit is a component of the vehicle;
enabling charging of the battery at the first charge rate comprises the control unit controlling the vehicle to accept a first amount of power from the power source; and
restricting charging of the battery to the second charge rate comprises the control unit controlling the vehicle to accept less power than the first amount of power from the power source.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein controlling the vehicle to accept less power than the first amount of power comprises the control unit controlling the vehicle to accept no power from the power source.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the control unit is a component of the power source external to the vehicle;
enabling charging of the battery at the first charge rate comprises the control unit controlling the power source to provide a first amount of power to the vehicle; and
restricting charging of the battery comprises the control unit controlling the power source to provide less power to the vehicle than the first amount of power.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein controlling the power source to provide less power to the vehicle than the first amount of power comprises the control unit controlling the power source to provide no power to the vehicle.

### Claim 17

A method for controlling charging of a battery of a vehicle by a power source external to the vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving, by a control unit, an indication of a minimum charge threshold for the battery;
receiving, by the control unit, an indication of a charge-restriction event, the charge-restriction event being a designated period of time to solicit reduction in power usage;
determining, by the control unit, whether a charge level of the battery is above the minimum charge threshold before an end of the charge-restriction event;
if the charge level is below the minimum charge threshold, enabling charging of the battery at a first charge rate during the charge-restriction event;
if the charge level is above the minimum charge threshold, restricting charging of the battery to a second charge rate less than the first charge rate during the charge-restriction event,
wherein:
the control unit is a component of an intermediate device coupled to the power source and the vehicle to control provision of power from the power source to the vehicle;
enabling charging of the battery at the first charge rate comprises the control unit controlling flow of power from the power source to the vehicle to provide a first amount of power to the vehicle; and
restricting charging of the battery comprises the control unit controlling flow of power from the power source to the vehicle to provide less power to the vehicle than the first amount of power.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the control unit controlling flow of power from the power source to the vehicle to provide less power to the vehicle than the first amount of power comprises: the control unit controlling flow of power from the power source to the vehicle to provide no power to the vehicle.

### Claim 19

A method for controlling charging of a battery of a vehicle by a power source external to the vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving, by a control unit, an indication of a minimum charge threshold for the battery;
receiving, by the control unit, an indication of a charge-restriction event, the charge-restriction event being a designated period of time to solicit reduction in power usage;
determining, by the control unit, whether a charge level of the battery is above the minimum charge threshold before an end of the charge-restriction event;
if the charge level is below the minimum charge threshold, enabling charging of the battery at a first charge rate during the charge-restriction event;
if the charge level is above the minimum charge threshold, restricting charging of the battery to a second charge rate less than the first charge rate during the charge-restriction event;
monitoring, by the control unit, the charge level of the battery during charging of the battery; and
if the charge level of the battery goes from below the minimum charge threshold to above the minimum charge threshold during the charge-restriction event:
restricting charging of the battery to a second charge rate less than the first charge rate until an end of the charge-restriction event; and
transmitting, by a communication interface in communication with the control unit, an indication of when charging of the battery is restricted to the second charge rate.

### Claim 20

A method for controlling charging of a battery of a vehicle by a power source external to the vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving, by a control unit, an indication of a minimum charge threshold for the battery;
receiving, by the control unit, an indication of a charge-restriction event, the charge-restriction event being a designated period of time to solicit reduction in power usage;
determining, by the control unit, whether a charge level of the battery is above the minimum charge threshold before an end of the charge-restriction event;
if the charge level is below the minimum charge threshold, enabling charging of the battery at a first charge rate during the charge-restriction event;
if the charge level is above the minimum charge threshold, restricting charging of the battery to a second charge rate less than the first charge rate during the charge-restriction event;
receiving an override input from a user;
in response to the override input, enabling charging of the battery at the first charge rate during the charge-restriction event even if the charge level is below the minimum charge threshold; and
transmitting, by a communication interface in communication with the control unit, an indication of when charging of the battery is enabled at the first charge rate.