# US 2021/0078428 A1 · Solar charging system and method for vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0078428 A1 - Document ID: US20210078428A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/808,666 - Filed: 2020-03-04 - Published: 2021-03-18 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-18 - Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Motors Corporation - Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Motors Corporation - Inventors: Hae Yoon JUNG; Sung Geun PARK; Seung Bae KIM - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210078428A1 ## CPC - B60L 58/12: responding to state of charge [SoC] - B60L 8/003: {Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems} - B60L 50/66: {Arrangements of batteries} - B60L 53/22: Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles - B60L 53/51: Photovoltaic means - B60L 53/60: Monitoring or controlling charging stations - B60L 58/20: having different nominal voltages - H02J 7/1423: {with multiple batteries} - H02J 7/35: with light sensitive cells - H02J 7/44: between battery management systems and power sources - H02J 7/50: acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially - H02J 7/82: Control of state of charge [SOC] - B60K 6/22: characterised by apparatus, components or means specially adapted for HEVs - B60L 7/10: Dynamic electric regenerative braking (B60L7/22 takes precedence) - B60L 53/20: characterised by converters located in the vehicle - B60L 2210/10: DC to DC converters - B60L 2240/527: Voltage - B60L 2240/529: Current - B60L 2240/662: Temperature - B60Y 2200/91: Electric vehicles - B60Y 2200/92: Hybrid vehicles - 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 - 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 - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A solar charging system and method for a vehicle may include a battery mounted in the vehicle, a solar panel mounted on the vehicle to perform solar power generation, and a solar controller that receives electricity generated from the solar panel to operate, and controls charging of the battery using the electricity. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A solar controller comprising: a processor configured to: receive electricity generated from a solar panel; determine when a charging operation condition is satisfied based on state information related to the solar panel; and determine when to activate a charging mode based on a start state of a vehicle and state information related to a battery of the vehicle; and a converter connected to the solar panel and converting output of the solar panel to charging power and supplying the charging power to the battery in a response to instruction of the processor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The solar controller of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine that the charging operation condition is satisfied upon determining that an output power of the solar panel exceeds a predetermined initial power. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The solar controller of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to identify the start state of the vehicle through a start system upon determining that the charging operation condition is satisfied. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The solar controller of claim 3, wherein the battery of the vehicle includes a first battery and a second battery, and wherein the processor is configured to: compare a state of charge of a first battery and a state of charge of a second battery through a battery management system when a start of the vehicle is determined to be activated; select one of the first battery and the second battery as a charging target based on a result of comparing the state of charge of the first battery and the state of charge of the second battery; and activate the charging mode for charging the selected one of the first battery and the second battery. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The solar controller of claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to: determine when a first charger in the vehicle is charging the first battery when a first battery charging mode is determined to be activated; and charge the first battery using the output of the solar panel upon determining that the first charger is not charging the first battery. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The solar controller of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to charge the first battery using the first charger or the output of the solar panel based on a charging mode of the first charger upon determining that the first charger is charging the first battery. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The solar controller of claim 6, wherein the first charger is implemented as a DC converter supplying a voltage lower than a predetermined value or an alternator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The solar controller of claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to, when a second battery charging mode is determined to be activated, switch the second battery charging mode to a first battery charging mode upon determining that a second charger mounted in the vehicle is charging the second battery and a battery voltage of the second battery exceeds a reference voltage, and wherein the second charger is implemented as an inverter or a regenerative brake system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The solar controller of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to: wake up a battery management system when a start of the vehicle is determined to be deactivated; determine when an output power of the solar panel exceeds a target power; charge the battery when the output power of the solar panel is determined to exceed the target power; and activate a charging standby mode when the output power of the solar panel is determined to not exceed the target power. ### Claim 10 A solar charging system for a vehicle, the solar charging system comprising: a battery configured to be mounted in the vehicle; a solar panel mounted on the vehicle to perform solar power generation thereby; and a solar controller connected to the solar panel and the battery and configured to: receive electricity generated from the solar panel; and control charging of the battery using the electricity. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A solar charging method for a vehicle, the solar charging method comprising: determining, by the solar controller of claim 1, when the charging operation condition is satisfied based on state information related to the solar panel; determining, by the solar controller, when a start of the vehicle is activated upon determining that the output of the solar panel satisfies the charging operation condition; and determining, by the solar controller, when to activate a charging mode based on a state of the battery upon determining that the start of the vehicle is activated. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The solar charging method of claim 11, wherein the determining of when the charging operation condition is satisfied includes: determining, by the solar controller, that the charging operation condition is satisfied when an output power of the solar panel is determined to exceed a predetermined initial power. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The solar charging method of claim 11, wherein the battery of the vehicle includes a first battery and a second battery, and wherein the determining of when to activate the charging mode includes: comparing, by the solar controller, state of charge of the first battery and state of charge of the second battery through a battery management system; selecting one of the first battery and the second battery as a charging target based on a result of comparing the state of charge of the first battery and the state of charge of the second battery through the battery management system; and activating a charging mode for charging the selected one of the first battery and the second battery. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The solar charging method of claim 13, further including: after the charging mode is determined to be activated: determining, by the solar controller, when a first charger in the vehicle is charging the first battery upon determining that a first battery charging mode is activated; identifying a charging mode of the first charger upon determining that the first charger is charging the first battery; and charging the first battery using the first charger or the output of the solar panel based on the charging mode of the first charger. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The solar charging method of claim 14, wherein the first charger is implemented as a DC converter supplying a voltage lower than a predetermined value or an alternator. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The solar charging method of claim 14, further including: charging the first battery using the output of the solar panel upon determining that the first charger is not charging the first battery. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The solar charging method of claim 13, further including: after the charging mode is determined to be activated: upon activating a second battery charging mode, switching, by the solar controller, the second battery charging mode to the first battery charging mode upon determining that a second charger mounted in the vehicle is charging the second battery and a battery voltage of the second battery exceeds a reference voltage. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The solar charging method of claim 17, wherein the second charger is implemented as an inverter or a regenerative brake system. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The solar charging method of claim 11, wherein the determining of when the start of the vehicle is activated includes: waking up a battery management system upon determining that the start of the vehicle is deactivated; determining when an output power of the solar panel exceeds a target power; and charging the battery upon determining that the output power of the solar panel exceeds the target power. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The solar charging method of claim 19, further including: activating a charging standby mode upon determining that the output power of the solar panel does not exceed the target power.