# US 12,214,683 B2 · Electric-vehicle charging apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,214,683 B2 - Document ID: US12214683B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/674,238 - Filed: 2022-02-17 - Published: 2022-06-02 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2017-01-19 - Assignees: Solaredge Technologies Ltd. - Applicants: Solaredge Technologies Ltd. - Inventors: Yoav Galin; Lior Handelsman; Gad Michaeli; Peter Mathews; Guy Sella; Gil Matzliach; Ariel Cohen; Meir Adest; Ilan Yoscovich - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214683B2 ## CPC - B60L 53/14: Conductive energy transfer - B60L 53/20: characterised by converters located in the vehicle - B60L 53/50: Charging stations characterised by energy-storage or power-generation means - B60L 53/57: Charging stations without connection to power networks - B60L 55/00: Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements - H01R 13/665: {with built-in electronic circuit (H01R13/70, H01R13/719 take precedence)} - H01R 13/6683: {with built-in sensor} - H02J 3/14: by switching loads on to, or off from, the networks, e.g. progressively balanced loading - H02J 3/38: Arrangements for feeding a single network from two or more generators or sources in parallel; Arrangements for feeding already energised networks from additional generators or sources in parallel - H02J 3/388: Arrangements for the handling of islanding, e.g. for disconnection or for avoiding the disconnection of power - H02J 4/00: Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as AC or DC; Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks combining AC and DC sections or sub-networks (arrangements using intermediate DC-AC-DC conversion H02J1/002; arrangements using high-voltage DC [HVDC] links H02J3/36) - H02J 7/70: characterised by the mechanical construction - H02J 2105/55: according to an economic condition, e.g. tariff-based load management - Y02B 70/3225: Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving - Y02B 90/20: Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector (smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00) - Y02E 60/00: Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation - 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 10/92: Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles - Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations - Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles - Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles - Y04S 10/126: the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G] - Y04S 20/222: Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving - Y04S 40/12: characterised by data transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated electrical equipment - Y04S 40/126: using wireless data transmission - 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 - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION - Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS ## Abstract An power system for a power system. The power system includes multiple electrical power sources and an enclosure operatively connected to the power sources at multiple input terminals. Multiple loads operatively connect to the enclosure at multiple output terminals by multiple cables. The enclosure includes the input terminals and the output terminals and a controller unit. Multiple selection units operatively connect to the controller unit, multiple power converters are connected to multiple connection paths. The selection units connect to at least one of multiple switches connected in the connection paths. Multiple sensor units are operatively attached to the controller unit which is configured to sense multiple parameters in the connection paths. Responsive to the parameters sensed by the sensor units, the selection units select the connection paths between the electrical power sources and the loads. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a first electrical connection configured to be coupled to a direct current (DC) power source; a second electrical connection configured to be coupled to an alternating current (AC) grid; a third electrical connection configured to provide AC power to an electric vehicle (EV) connector; a fourth electrical connection configured to provide DC power to the EV connector; a DC/AC converter coupled between the first electrical connection and the second electrical connection; a DC/DC converter coupled between the first electrical connection and the fourth electrical connection; an AC charging circuit configured to combine an output current of the DC/AC converter and an output current of the AC grid, and to provide the combined output current at the third electrical connection; and control circuitry configured to separately: control the DC/AC converter and the AC charging circuit; and operate the DC/DC converter to convert power drawn from the DC power source to DC power provided to the EV connector, wherein the DC/AC converter comprises a galvanic connection between DC/AC converter input terminals and DC/AC output terminals, and wherein the DC/DC converter comprises a transformer galvanically isolating DC/DC converter input terminals from DC/DC output terminals. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the AC charging circuit comprises one or more relays, and the control circuitry is configured to: close the one or more relays when power is provided to the third electrical connection; and open when power is not provided to the third electrical connection. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control circuitry is configured to, when the one or more relays are open, operate the DC/AC converter to convert DC power received via the first electrical connection to AC power output to the AC grid via the second electrical connection. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: first current limiting circuitry coupled between the DC/AC converter and the second electrical connection and configured to limit a first current drawn from or provided to the AC grid; and second current limiting circuitry coupled to the first electrical connection and configured to limit a second current drawn from the DC power source. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to operate the DC/AC converter to limit a current drawn from the first electrical connection. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second current limiting circuitry comprises a circuit breaker. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the AC charging circuit is configured to limit an AC current provided at the third electrical connection to be at least 20% less than a maximum current of the circuit breaker. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to operate the DC/AC converter to limit a current drawn from the first electrical connection to not exceed a first threshold, further comprising a circuit breaker configured to limit a current to not exceed a second threshold which is lower than the first threshold. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to concurrently: operate the DC/DC converter to convert DC power drawn from the DC power source to DC power provided to the EV via the fourth electrical connection; and operate the AC charging circuit to provide AC power drawn from the AC grid to the EV via the third electrical connection. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the DC power and the AC power are provided to the EV via a cable having: a first end connected to the DC/DC converter and the AC charging circuit; and a second end configured to be connected to an onboard charger and a battery. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second end of the cable comprises: a first connector configured to be connected to the onboard charger; and a second connector configured to be connected to the battery. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an electrical panel coupled between an output of the DC/AC converter and the second electrical connection, wherein the electrical panel comprises: a first panel connection configured to be connected to the AC charging circuit; and a second panel connection configured to be connected to an additional load. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the additional load is an AC storage device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the additional load is a home appliance. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fourth electrical connection is configured to be connected to a DC battery, wherein the DC/AC converter is configured to convert DC power drawn from the DC battery to AC power at the third electrical connection. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a common DC bus configured to combine DC power drawn from the DC power source with the DC power drawn from the DC battery. ### Claim 17 A method comprising: drawing a first direct current (DC) power from a DC power source; drawing a first alternating current (AC) power from an alternating current (AC) power source; converting the first DC power to: a second AC power using a DC/AC converter, and a second DC power using a DC/DC converter; combining the first AC power with the second AC power to generate a combined AC power; and outputting the combined AC power and the second DC power to an electrical vehicle (EV), wherein the DC/AC converter comprises a galvanic connection between DC/AC converter input terminals and DC/AC output terminals, and wherein the DC/DC converter comprises a transformer galvanically isolating DC/DC converter input terminals from DC/DC output terminals. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: limiting, by first current-limiting circuitry, a first current drawn from the DC power source; limiting, by second current-limiting circuitry, a second current drawn from the AC power source; and outputting the combined AC and second DC power that together represent a third current that is greater than the second current. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the converting the first DC power to the second AC power is performed by a DC/AC power converter, further comprising limiting, by a controller, the first DC power drawn by the DC/AC power converter. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising limiting, by current-limiting circuitry, current drawn from the AC power source to be less than a maximum current output by the DC/AC power converter. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: operating the DC/DC converter to convert DC power drawn from a DC battery to DC power provided to the EV via an electrical connection; and operating the AC charging circuit to provide AC power drawn from the AC grid to the EV via another electrical connection. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising combining DC power drawn from the DC power source with the DC power drawn from the DC battery using a common DC bus.