# US 2014/0191720 A1 · Charging system and charging control method of electric powered vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191720 A1 - Document ID: US20140191720A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/574,671 - Filed: 2011-09-21 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-21 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Yoshinobu Sugiyama; Ryoji Oki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191720A1 ## CPC - H02J 7/02: for charging batteries from AC mains by converters - B60L 3/0069: {relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current} - B60L 3/04: Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions (protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H) - B60L 7/14: for vehicles propelled by AC motors - B60L 15/007: {Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles} - B60L 50/16: with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion - B60L 53/16: Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles - B60L 53/18: Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles - B60L 53/51: Photovoltaic means - B60L 53/53: Batteries - B60L 53/65: involving identification of vehicles or their battery types - B60L 58/12: responding to state of charge [SoC] - B60L 58/18: of two or more battery modules - B60L 58/21: having the same nominal voltage - B60L 58/40: for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells - H02J 7/1423: {with multiple batteries} - B60L 2210/14: Boost converters - B60L 2210/30: AC to DC converters - B60L 2210/40: DC to AC converters - B60L 2240/547: Voltage - B60L 2240/549: Current - B60L 2240/667: Precipitation - B60L 2270/20: Inrush current reduction, i.e. avoiding high currents when connecting the battery - H02J 2105/37: exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] - H02J 2207/20: Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter - Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility - 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 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility - 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 - Y02T 90/167: Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV] - Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells - Y04S 30/14: Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing - 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 - 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 A power storage device mounted on an electric powered vehicle is configured to include a plurality of battery units. A charger outputs onto power lines the charging power for charging the power storage device by a power supply external to the vehicle. A plurality of relays switch the electrical connection between the power lines and the plurality of battery units. A control device controls the plurality of relays to reduce the number of battery units that are the subject of charging when the current leakage value during overall charging of the plurality of battery units is high. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A charging system of an electric powered vehicle incorporating a traction electric motor, comprising: a power storage device configured to include a plurality of power storage units for storing electric power to be supplied to said traction electric motor, first and second power lines to which charging power for charging said power storage device is supplied, a plurality of open/close devices for switching electrical connection between said first and second power lines and said plurality of power storage units, a detector for detecting current leakage during charging of said power storage device, and a control unit for controlling said plurality of open/close devices to modify the number of power storage unit(s) connected to said first and second power lines among said plurality of power storage units, according to a current leakage detection value by said detector during charging of said power storage device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The charging system of an electric powered vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said control unit controls said plurality of open/close devices to attain, when said current leakage detection value exceeds a reference value during charging of said power storage device under a first state where a first number of power storage units among said plurality of power storage units are electrically connected to said first and second power lines, a second state where a second number of power storage unit(s), fewer than said first number, is/are electrically connected to said first and second power lines, and charges said power storage device under said second state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The charging system of an electric powered vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said control unit controls said plurality of open/close devices to attain, when said current leakage detection value exceeds a reference value during charging of said power storage device under a first state where all of said power storage units are electrically connected to said first and second power lines, a second state where a subset of said plurality of power storage unit is electrically connected to said first and second power lines, and charges said power storage device under said second state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The charging system of an electric powered vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said control unit controls said plurality of open/close devices to change from said first state to said second state after the charging power of said power storage device is set to zero under said first state. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The charging system of an electric powered vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising a charger for converting electric power from a power supply external to said electric powered vehicle into the charging power of said power storage device for output onto said first and second power lines, wherein said plurality of power storage units are electrically connected in parallel with said first and second power lines under said first state, and an output voltage of said charger is equal in said first and second states. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The charging system of an electric powered vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising a charger for converting electric power from a power supply external to said electric powered vehicle into the charging power of said power storage device for output onto said first and second power lines, wherein said plurality of power storage units are electrically connected in series with said first and second power lines under said first state, and an output voltage of said charger under said second state is lower than the output voltage from said charger under said first state. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The charging system of an electric powered vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a charger converting electric power from a power supply external to said electric powered vehicle into the charging power of said power storage device for output onto said first and second power lines, wherein said charger is constituted of a non-insulation type power converter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The charging system of an electric powered vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising: a power control unit for executing power conversion between said traction electric motor and said power storage device of said electric powered vehicle, and a charger for converting electric power from a power supply external to said electric powered vehicle into the charging power of said power storage device for output onto said first and second power lines, wherein said charger is at least partially configured sharing circuitry with said power control unit. ### Claim 9 A method for controlling charging of an electric powered vehicle incorporating a traction electric motor and a power storage device for storing electric power to be supplied to said traction electric motor, said power storage device configured to include a plurality of power storage units, said charging control method comprising the steps of: detecting current leakage during charging of said power storage device, and charging said power storage device having modified the number of power storage units connected to first and second power lines to which charging power for charging said power storage device is supplied, according to a detected current leakage detection value. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method for controlling charging of an electric powered vehicle according to claim 9, wherein in said detecting step, said current leakage detection value is detected during charging under a first state where a first number of power storage units among said plurality of power storage units are electrically connected to said first and second power line, and in said charging step, when said current leakage detection value exceeds a reference value under said first state, said power storage device is charged under a second state where a second number of power storage unit(s), fewer than said first number, is/are electrically connected to said first and second power lines. ### Claim 11 The method for controlling charging of an electric powered vehicle according to 9, wherein in said detecting step, said current leakage detection value is detected during charging under a first state where all said plurality of power storage units are electrically connected to said first and second power lines, and in said charging step, when said current leakage detection value under said first state exceeds a reference value, said power storage device is charged under a second state where a subset of said plurality of power storage units is electrically connected to said first and second power lines. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method for controlling charging of an electric powered vehicle according to claim 10, further comprising the step of setting the charging power of said power storage device at zero, prior to switching connection between said plurality of power storage units and said first and second power lines so as to change from said first state to said second state. ### Claim 13 (depends on 3) The charging system of an electric powered vehicle according to claim 3, wherein said control unit controls said plurality of open/close devices to change from said first state to said second state after the charging power of said power storage device is set to zero under said first state. ### Claim 14 (depends on 3) The charging system of an electric powered vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising a charger for converting electric power from a power supply external to said electric powered vehicle into the charging power of said power storage device for output onto said first and second power lines, wherein said plurality of power storage units are electrically connected in parallel with said first and second power lines under said first state, and an output voltage of said charger is equal in said first and second states. ### Claim 15 (depends on 3) The charging system of an electric powered vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising a charger for converting electric power from a power supply external to said electric powered vehicle into the charging power of said power storage device for output onto said first and second power lines, wherein said plurality of power storage units are electrically connected in series with said first and second power lines under said first state, and an output voltage of said charger under said second state is lower than the output voltage from said charger under said first state. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) The charging system of an electric powered vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising a charger converting electric power from a power supply external to said electric powered vehicle into the charging power of said power storage device for output onto said first and second power lines, wherein said charger is constituted of a non-insulation type power converter. ### Claim 17 (depends on 3) The charging system of an electric powered vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising a charger converting electric power from a power supply external to said electric powered vehicle into the charging power of said power storage device for output onto said first and second power lines, wherein said charger is constituted of a non-insulation type power converter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 2) The charging system of an electric powered vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising: a power control unit for executing power conversion between said traction electric motor and said power storage device of said electric powered vehicle, and a charger for converting electric power from a power supply external to said electric powered vehicle into the charging power of said power storage device for output onto said first and second power lines, wherein said charger is at least partially configured sharing circuitry with said power control unit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 3) The charging system of an electric powered vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising: a power control unit for executing power conversion between said traction electric motor and said power storage device of said electric powered vehicle, and a charger for converting electric power from a power supply external to said electric powered vehicle into the charging power of said power storage device for output onto said first and second power lines, wherein said charger is at least partially configured sharing circuitry with said power control unit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method for controlling charging of an electric powered vehicle according to claim 11, further comprising the step of setting the charging power of said power storage device at zero, prior to switching connection between said plurality of power storage units and said first and second power lines so as to change from said first state to said second state.