# US 2019/0168630 A1 · Devices, systems, and related methods for power conversion and management > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168630 A1 - Document ID: US20190168630A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/201,942 - Filed: 2018-11-27 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01 - Assignees: Intertie, Incorporated - Applicants: Intertie, Incorporated - Inventors: Richard Mrlik; Eric Stafl - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168630A1 ## CPC - B60L 53/60: Monitoring or controlling charging stations - B60L 53/11: {DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4} - B60L 53/30: Constructional details of charging stations - B60L 53/51: Photovoltaic means - B60L 53/53: Batteries - H02J 3/322: {the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging} - 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 3/381: {Dispersed generators} - H02J 7/02: for charging batteries from AC mains by converters - H02J 7/35: with light sensitive cells - H02J 7/50: acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially - B60L 2210/10: DC to DC converters - B60L 2210/30: AC to DC converters - B60Y 2200/91: Electric vehicles - B60Y 2300/91: Battery charging - H02J 7/751: {concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries} - H02J 2101/25: {involving maximum power point tracking control for photovoltaic sources} - 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 - Y02E 70/30: Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin - 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 - 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 - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A modular, integrated charging system and method for fast charging of a battery of an electric vehicle (EV) include an under-ground stationary battery storage system and an above-ground charging station, which is operatively connected to an AC grid and a solar panel. The EV's battery may be charged using little or no grid capacity by prioritizing and managing power production and use based on loading and pricing in real time. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A modular, integrated charging system for fast charging of a battery of an electric vehicle (EV), said system comprising: an under-ground stationary battery storage system; an above-ground charging station, said charging station being disposed substantially directly above said battery storage system, and including: a user interface; a bi-directional alternating current/direct current (AC/DC) power converter that is configured to receive and rectify AC power from an AC power grid into DC power; a high voltage (HV) direct current/direct current (DC/DC) converter; a high voltage (HV) DC bus configured to receive DC power from said bi-directional AC/DC power converter and from a solar photovoltaic (PV) array and to operatively connect said battery storage system and said HV DC/DC converter; a station charge controller that is off board said electric vehicle and regulates transfer of DC power between said HV DC/DC converter and said EV battery; and a charging system master controller that is configured to optimize and manage power flow among said AC power grid, said solar PV array, said battery storage system, and said EV battery. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the AC/DC power converter is further configured to invert DC power into AC power to transfer DC power from said battery storage system to said AC power grid. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a solar maximum power point tracker (MPPT) DC/DC converter for providing power from said solar PV array to said HV DC bus. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein said solar MPPT DC/DC converter is configured to optimize power generated by said solar PV array for distribution, via said HV DC bus, to one or more of the battery storage system, the HV DC/DC converter, and the bi-directional converter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said battery storage system is housed within a vault, said vault including a removable top cover assembly that is rated for incidental traffic, full vehicular traffic, or both. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein said vault is made of reinforced concrete, and said top cover assembly is configured to provide a water-tight seal and slip-resistant flooring. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein said above-ground charging station is removably secured to said top cover assembly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said above-ground charging station is configured to operatively connect to said AC power grid at a relatively low power panel and to provide high power levels required for said fast charging. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein said relatively low power panel is a behind-the-meter electric distribution panel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said battery system is connected to said HV DC bus directly, and without an intervening power converter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said battery storage system includes a plurality of replaceable, modular battery packs. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of battery packs includes a plurality of battery modules, and wherein each of said plurality of battery modules includes a plurality of battery cells. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said battery storage system is configured to provide about 200 kWh of storage capacity and about 180 kW of power. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said battery storage system is housed within a prefabricated vault, and wherein said modular, integrated charging system is configured for installation on a sidewalk or parking area. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each of said HV DC bus and battery storage system has a voltage level between about 600 Volts DC and about 800 Volts DC. ### Claim 16 A method for fast charging of an electric vehicle (EV) through an integrated charging system including an above-ground charging station, an under-ground stationary battery system, and a system controller, said charging system being operatively connected with an alternating current (AC) power grid and a solar array, said method comprising: providing power to said stationary battery system by at least one of said AC power grid and said solar panel; converting said power to direct current (DC) charge and storing said DC charge by said stationary battery system; receiving a request, by said system controller, for charging a battery of said electric vehicle; determining in real time, by said system controller, whether power for charging said battery of the electric vehicle should be delivered from said AC grid, said solar array, said stationary battery system, or a combination thereof; identifying, by said system controller, one or more of said AC grid, said solar array, and said stationary battery system as a source for delivering power to said battery of the electric vehicle; and routing, by said system controller, power from the identified source to charge said battery of the electric vehicle based on said identification. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein said determination is based on real-time power loads on each of the AC grid and the solar panel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein power is delivered to said battery of the electric vehicle first from said solar array, and then from one or more of the AC grid and the stationary battery system. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein power is delivered to said battery of the electric vehicle first from said solar array, and then from said AC grid, and then from said stationary battery system. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the system controller makes said determination based on real-time cost of power from each of said AC grid, said solar panel, and said stationary battery system, and prioritizes delivery of power to said battery of the electric vehicle based on the least-expensive power source. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein said real-time cost of power is obtained by said system controller from an external analytics database. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein said analytics database is cloud-based, and is in real-time communication with said system controller. ### Claim 23 A method of real-time power distribution and management among a plurality of power sources, said plurality of power sources including an alternating current (AC) grid and a solar photovoltaic (PV) array, said method comprising: operatively connecting said AC grid and solar PV array to a battery storage system; storing power from said AC grid in said battery storage system during one or more low electric-price time windows; storing power from said solar PV array in said battery storage system during daylight hours; and identifying one of said power sources, based on respective power loads on said plurality of power sources and real-time cost of providing power from each respective source, for providing fast-charging power to a battery of an electric vehicle without imposition of additional loading on said AC grid. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein said battery storage system is housed within a vault, said vault including a removable top cover assembly. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein said top cover assembly is rated for incidental traffic, full vehicular traffic, or both. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein said battery storage system is operatively connected to an above-ground charging station that is removably secured to said top cover assembly. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein said above-ground charging station comprises a bi-directional alternating current/direct current (AC/DC) power converter that is configured to receive and rectify AC power from said AC power grid into DC power, a high voltage (HV) direct current/direct current (DC/DC) converter, a high voltage (HV) DC bus that is configured to receive DC power from said bi-directional AC/DC power converter and from said solar PV array and to operatively connect said battery storage system and said HV DC/DC converter, and a station charge controller that is off board said electric vehicle and regulates transfer of DC power between said HV DC/DC converter and said battery of the electric vehicle. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein each of said HV DC bus and battery storage system has a voltage level between about 600 Volts DC and about 800 Volts DC. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein said above-ground charging station further comprises a charging system master controller that is configured to optimize and manage power flow among said AC power grid, said solar PV array, said battery storage system, and said battery of the electric vehicle. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, further including discharging power from said battery storage system during one or more high electric-price time windows. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, wherein said optimization and management of power flow include supplying back-up AC power from one or more of said battery storage system and said solar PV array to power-critical loads during a power outage. ### Claim 32 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further including receiving a request, by a system controller, for charging said battery of the electric vehicle, and delivering by said system controller, fast-charging power from the identified power source to charge said battery of the electric vehicle. ### Claim 33 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein said battery storage system is configured to provide about 200 kWh of storage capacity and about 180 kW of power. ### Claim 34 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein said battery storage system includes a plurality of replaceable, modular battery packs, each said battery pack including a plurality of battery modules, and each said battery module including a plurality of battery cells.